Betaspring

Susan's clients include large, established corporate clients; both privately held and publicly traded, as well as start ups in various sectors. She counsels entrepreneurs on how to properly structure a new entity, manages the daily corporate governance issues and advises senior management on their strategies and transactions. This focus area is supported by the Firm’s Helping Innovators Thrive (HIT) program (hit.edwardswildman.com) which provides support and affordable access to strategic legal advice for qualifying entrepreneurs and young companies.  

Susan routinely advises venture capital funds and angel investors on the structuring of their investments, the management of their portfolio companies and follow-on investments. In addition to her corporate practice, Susan has extensive experience in the area of finance, including private equity financing, senior and subordinated financing from both the investor and lender side and the company and borrower side. Susan is one of the few attorneys in the United States who represents providers of precious metals consignment facilities. 

Susan is the founder and chair of the Women's Business Collaborative at the Firm.  Under Susan's guidance, the organization has been providing women with tools for business success since 1996. Susan is a co-founder of the Women's Association of Venture & Equity, a national organization for women in venture capital and private equity.

Notable Experience

Susan represented a U.S. public company in the $650 million sale of its business to a foreign, publicly traded company. 

Susan represented a co-arranger/agent/lead financial institution in a $200 million credit facility, which included a senior and subordinated financing and a public debt offering.

Susan represented an international corporate client in U.S. initial public offering which raised $42 million.

Susan represented a communications client in a $1.4 billion merger of its cable business, initial public offering which raised $120 million and subsequent $1.6 billion sale of its business.

Susan represented a venture capital firm in several rounds of a $37 million total investment.

Susan routinely counsels private equity investors in the structuring of their investments and has guided investors in over $30 million of Series A and follow on investments in the last year.

Over the last two years, Susan has represented a major financial institution in over $400 million of transactions.

Susan represented the buyer of a mechanical contractor business from a large publicly traded energy conglomerate.

Susan represented a national software provider in the sale of its business for $30 million. 

Recent Speaking Engagements and Publications

"A More Strategic Women's Initiative," author, Ida Abbott Consulting Management Solutions, Issue 31, Winter 2011. 

"Women's Business Collaborative at Edwards Angell Focuses on Rainmaking," author, The National Law Journal, December 14, 2010.

"Beyond the Law: Become a Business Ally and Advisor," New York Law Journal, November 8, 2010.

“Targeting Transitions” moderator, Women’s Summit 2010 - New Decade, New Directions, Smithfield, Rhode Island. March 11, 2010.

"Make the Support of a Peer Advisory Group Work for You," Boston Herald - Women's Business, May 2009.

"ESOP’s in Private Equity and Corporate Transactions," panelist, May 2009.

"Ask the Experts Panel," Springboard Private Equity Workshop, New York City, February 2005.

"Venture Capital Financing for Women Entrepreneurs," Financial Women's Association, November 2004.

"Creating and Maintaining Successful Women's Networks," Babson College Women's Leadership Conference, October 2004.

"Recapitalization of Hedge Funds and Related Private Equity Vehicles," 100 Women in Hedge Funds, New York, NY, December 2003.

"Limited Liability Companies: Advising Small Business Start-Ups and Larger Companies in Rhode Island," co-presenter.

"Basic Legal Considerations When Starting Your Own Business," Women Mean Business Guide from the Rhode Island Secretary of State.

Besides Edwards Wildman

Susan spends a considerable amount of time counseling women business owners and women entrepreneurs. Most recently, Susan was recognized for her work with women entrepreneurs by receiving the 2011 Advancing Women's Excellence in Business from Leading Women of South Eastern New England. In 2009, Susan was honored with the Business Women Award - Mentor to Women Business Owners from the Providence Business News. In 2002, her efforts resulted in receiving the Women in Business Advocate of the Year Award for Rhode Island and New England from the U.S. Small Business Administration.  Big Sisters of RI honored Susan as one of the Magical Circle of Women We Admire in 2010, which recognized her as an outstanding woman business leader and community volunteer. 

Susan was recently appointed by the US Department of Treasury and the StartUp America Partnership to a working group on women entrepreneurship.  

She was chosen by SmartGirls Way as one of 100, nationally, successful women entrepreneurs through its 100x100 Project, an initiative celebrating the strength and success of the women's entrepreneurial movement.

Susan is on the Board of Directors of Center for Women & Enterprise in Boston and is currently the Chair of the Advisory Board for its Providence Office and teaches classes on corporate and venture capital law to their clients.  Susan is the Chair of the Providence Chapter of the Women Presidents' Organization. Susan is the co-founder of the newly formed Women's Entrepreneurial Council, a Boston-based organization focused on creating an ecosystem for women-led startups. Susan is also on the Advisory Board for Brown University Women in Business. Susan was a member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Women's Business Research, a Washington, D.C. based organization that is the premier source of data about women business owners. 

Susan is a Partner in Social Venture Partners Rhode Island, a collaborative community of experienced business professionals focused on advancing the non-profit sector and effecting social change in the community.  Through SVPRI, Susan is involved with its Change Accelerator Program, one of the few social venture incubators in existence and is a mentor to some of the entrepreneurs.

Susan is on the Advisory Board of Fahrenheit Wellness Fund, a new private venture capital investment fund focused in the health/wellness and food and beverage industries. Susan is a member of Cherrystone Angel Group. Susan is also involved in Springboard Venture Capital Forum, an annual venture forum of women entrepreneurs presenting to the venture community.

Outside the legal community, Susan is very active in the community and currently sits on the Board of Directors of Vision Education & Media. Susan currently sits on the Board of Directors of Trinity Repertory Theater, the Trinity Repertory Foundation, and the Rhode Island Hospital Foundation. She is an alumna of Leadership Rhode Island.

Susan served on the Board of Directors of Nestor, Inc., a publicly traded company that provides systems and services for traffic management and safety. She served on the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee, of which she was the chairperson.