This Women in Subro blog series highlights powerhouse women in the industry while discussing leadership, management, and success in subrogation. In our interview with Suzanne Radcliff, Office Managing Partner of Cozen O’Connor’s Dallas office, we recognize her 25 years of dedication, passion, and fearlessness.
Suzanne is a trained and awarded equestrian, having played polo at the University of Oklahoma while obtaining her degree in journalism. She says that to be a good polo player, you must be a good rider, have good hand-eye coordination and must be fearless, since it is basically hockey on horseback. The way Suzanne runs a subro case and brings in amazing results, you can tell she is fearless on and off the polo fields.
After graduating law school, Suzanne started with Cozen as a summer law clerk. She learned the ropes from Cozen subrogation veteran, Anne Cook, who later became her mentor. Suzanne planted her roots with Cozen and has been thriving ever since.
Q: How do you describe subrogation to friends and family?
A: I give the example of a kitchen fire that starts at a toaster. People can relate to that. A products case is a simple way to break it down.
Q: What is it about subro that catches your attention and keeps you interested?
A: In the beginning of my career, I loved learning about the science. I still love that, but now I really love the collaboration between client, lawyer, and expert. It is these relationships which make the job very rewarding for me.
Q: Do you have a fun subro story to share?
A: I litigated an attic fire case against a contractor who performed work near the electrical wires just before the fire. While we couldn’t identify the exact cause of the fire, the fire investigator opined that there was no evidence of other ignition sources in the area of origin. The case hinged on the last deposition- the insured’s mother-in-law. She was diligently prepared, but in the middle of her testimony she surprisingly confessed to sneaking up to the attic on the date of loss to smoke. She hid this from her son-in-law because she promised him she had stopped smoking. We paused the deposition, but before discussing dismissal of the case with the client based on this new testimony, we ran an asset check on the mother-in-law!
Q: What is the hardest part of your job?
A. Giving clients bad news; it is much more fun to deliver great results.
Q: How have you excelled in the industry?
A: Working hard, being creative, developing relationships, being dedicated, and having great support from the firm, department, and staff.
Q: What is one of your greatest professional accomplishments?
A: I worked on the 2006 Hondo, New Mexico barn fire litigation involving the death of 6 high-value breeding stallions. We had over 90 clients with a very challenging products liability case which resulted in a product recall. I am very proud of the result.
Q: What makes a good leader?
A: Willingness to listen, advocating for people, being fair, and trying to lead by example.
Q: How do you define success?
A: Success is best measured in overall happiness and fulfillment in life. I don’t think of it as just a professional descriptor, rather if I can have a happy and good family, fulfilling work, and great relationships with people I work with, then that would be success.
Q: What is your unique niche in subrogation?
A: I am licensed in both Texas and Oklahoma, and have a handful of equine law subro cases in these states at any given time. No one else here or at other firms does this type of work. Horses were basically my entire life growing up, and Cozen has given me the opportunity to combine my work and passion.
Q: When you were a child, what was your dream job?
A: Equine vet, but I faint at the sight of blood, so it was unrealistic.
Q: If you were not where you are today, what would you be doing?
A: I would be a travel blogger. I love to travel and write. I could learn the photography side.
Q: What else should we know about you?
A: I went to law school with my now-husband and we were mock trial partners. We were always arguing over who would be 1st chair and who would be 2nd. My husband also practices litigation, but not subrogation. My daughter may also be following this path.
We thank Suzanne Radcliff for this interview and for being a true leader in our firm and in the industry! Suzanne has the skills and passion for both subrogation and hockey on horseback.
Stay tuned for the next post highlighting another prominent subro leader.
