We honor the trust that our clients put in us by working to earn it every day.We honor the trust that our clients put in us by working to earn it every day.
SUSAN E. HUHTA is the partner in charge of Outten & Golden’s Washington, D.C. office, where she heads the D.C. office’s individual practice group. She is Co-Chair of the firm’s Discrimination and Retaliation Practice Group, and has represented employees in a wide range of employment matters, including litigation in state and federal trial courts, appellate courts and administrative agencies, for over 20 years. Ms. Huhta also provides advice and counseling to individuals experiencing employment problems or disputes, including executives and lawyers, and she negotiates employment contracts, as well as non-compete, bonus, change of control, separation and severance agreements.
Ms. Huhta’s employment practice focuses on claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, family and medical leave act violations, and breaches of contract. She also represents whistleblowers and individuals who experience adverse employment action as a result of opposing illegal or unethical corporate practices. Ms. Huhta has recovered millions of dollars in lost compensation and other damages for individuals who were wrongfully terminated or otherwise mistreated in the workplace.
Before joining Outten & Golden, Ms. Huhta practiced at a boutique employment law firm in D.C. for six years, and prior to that, for over 10 years, she ran the Employment and Public Accommodations Projects at one of D.C.’s premier civil rights organizations, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs. She began her law career in Washington, D.C. as a litigation associate at Arnold & Porter LLP, and she clerked for the Honorable Barbara B. Crabb, United States District Court Judge for the Western District of Wisconsin. Ms. Huhta received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University and graduated cum laude from the University of Wisconsin School of Law, where she served as an Articles Editor of the Wisconsin Law Review and the President of the Wisconsin Law School’s Women’s Law Student Association.
Ms. Huhta serves on the Leadership Advisory Council of the National Women’s Law Center, and she is a board member of First Shift, a D.C.-based non-profit that provides employment-related legal assistance to low-income pregnant women and parents. She is a past president of the Washington Council of Lawyers, D.C.’s voluntary bar association that promotes public interest and pro bono work, and for many years has been an active member of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association. Ms. Huhta has been recognized by Washingtonian Magazine as a “Top Lawyer” by Washingtonian Magazine, and as one of the “Top 100 Lawyers” in civil plaintiff-side litigation by the National Trial Lawyers Association. In 2019, she was selected by her peers as a one of the “Best Lawyers in America” representing individuals in employment law, and by Lawdragon as one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyers.
Ms. Huhta employs a highly client-centric approach, carefully considering all aspects of a client’s life and needs in helping develop and implement strategic decisions. She believes that every single client — without regard to position in life — deserves a dedicated, compassionate, and tenacious advocate.
Languages spoken
English
Outten & Golden LLP
601 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Suite 200W
Washington, DC, 20001
State | Status | Acquired | Updated |
---|---|---|---|
DC | Good Standing | 1997 | 03/08/2021 |
MN | Resigned | 1995 | 05/21/2022 |
WI | Resigned | 1994 | 05/28/2022 |
Legal answers | 1 |
Legal guides | 0 |
Award name | Grantor | Date Granted |
---|---|---|
Best Lawyer | Best Lawyers | 2022 |
Best Lawyers | Best Lawyers | 2021 |
Super Lawyer | Super Lawyers | 2021 |
Best Lawyer | Best Lawyers | 2020 |
Super Lawyer | Super Lawyers | 2020 |
Super Lawyer | Super Lawyers | 2019 |
500 Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyers | Lawdragon | 2019 |
Super Lawyer | Super Lawyers | 2019 |
Best Lawyer | Best Lawyers | 2019 |
Client's Choice Award | Avvo | 2018 |
Top 100 Lawyers (civil plaintiff’s side) | National Trial Lawyers Association | 2018 |
Top 100 Lawyers (civil plaintiff’s side) | National Trial Lawyers Association | 2017 |
Top 100 Lawyers (civil plaintiff’s side) | National Trial Lawyers Association | 2016 |
Washington’s Top Lawyers, Individual Rights | Washingtonian Magazine | 2010 |
Title | Company name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Partner | Outten & Golden LLP | 2017 - Present |
Partner | Heller, Huron, Chertkof & Salzman Pllc | 2011 - 2017 |
EEO Project Director and Public Accommodations Project Director | Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs | 1999 - 2011 |
Associate | Arnold & Porter, LLP | 1995 - 1999 |
Law Clerk | The Honorable Barbara B. Crabb, Western District of Wisconsin | 1994 - 1995 |
Association name | Position name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association | Member | N/A |
National Employment Lawyers Association | Member | N/A |
Washington Council of Lawyers | Past President | N/A |
Leadership Advisory Committee, National Women’s Law Center | Member | N/A |
Women’s Bar Association | Member | N/A |
Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. | Member | N/A |
American Bar Association | Member | N/A |
First Shift | Member | N/A |
Order of the Coif | Member | N/A |
Wisconsin Law Review | Articles Editor | N/A |
Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association | Past Board Member | 2010 - 2011 |
Publication name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
7 Emp. Rts. & Emp. Pol'y J. 303 | Looking Forward and Looking Back: Using the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and Discriminatory Gender/Pregnancy Stereotyping to Challenge Discrimination Against New Mothers (Co-Author with Elizabeth S. Westfall and Joan C. Williams) | 2003 |
School name | Degree | Graduated |
---|---|---|
University of Wisconsin Law School | JD - Juris Doctor | 1994 |
Cornell University | BA - Bachelor of Arts | 1989 |
Conference name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
2019 Annual Convention | Things To Look For In Settlement Agreements | 2019 |
District of Columbia Bar CLE Program | Changing Currents in Employment Law 2018: Recent Trends and Developments in the Use of Experts in Employment Cases | 2018 |
13th Annual Meeting with the Congressional Women’s Caucus | #WeToo in the Legal Workplace | 2018 |
Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association Annual Conference | Title VII Retaliation Updates | 2018 |
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Heidi Burakiewicz, Unknown Attorney on Aug 17, 2018
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer. I would send my closest friends and family to Sue Huhta. She is a passionate, knowledgeable, and fierce advocate on behalf of her clients. Just as important, she is compassionate about what her clients are experiencing while guiding them through what is often a difficult and emotional experience.
Skye Perryman, Employment and labor Attorney on Aug 1, 2018
Relationship: Worked together on matter
Susan Huhta is a tremendous resource for her clients in labor, employment, and discrimination matters. She is a trusted advisor to both executives and line level employees facing situations that are difficult to navigate. Sue and I have litigated cases together and she's an aggressive, superb litigator. I have seen her in action at settlement and mediation and have seen her skill and good counsel lead to extremely favorable results for her clients. Sue has the respect of many in the attorney and business community.
Heidi Burakiewicz, Unknown Attorney on Aug 17, 2018
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer. I would send my closest friends and family to Sue Huhta. She is a passionate, knowledgeable, and fierce advocate on behalf of her clients. Just as important, she is compassionate about what her clients are experiencing while guiding them through what is often a difficult and emotional experience.
Skye Perryman, Employment and labor Attorney on Aug 1, 2018
Relationship: Worked together on matter
Susan Huhta is a tremendous resource for her clients in labor, employment, and discrimination matters. She is a trusted advisor to both executives and line level employees facing situations that are difficult to navigate. Sue and I have litigated cases together and she's an aggressive, superb litigator. I have seen her in action at settlement and mediation and have seen her skill and good counsel lead to extremely favorable results for her clients. Sue has the respect of many in the attorney and business community.
Tamara Miller, Discrimination Attorney on Jul 22, 2018
Relationship: Worked together on matter
I highly recommend Susan Huhta. She knows the law, effectively counsels and represents clients that we have shared, and achieves results that only a compassionate lawyer of her talent, skill and experience can deliver.
Wayne Outten, Employment and labor Attorney on Jul 21, 2018
Relationship: Other
I endorse this lawyer. Sue's firm, Outten & Golden, focuses on representing employees, has a great reputation in the US and abroad, and is the largest US firm representing employees exclusively. Sue is the Partner-in-Charge of the firm's DC office. The firm also has offices in NYC, Chicago, and San Francisco. Sue has very broad experience representing individual employees (including executives and professionals) in many areas of employment law, including: counseling/advising employees with respect to many types of problems, disputes, and claims; negotiating and litigating discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and breach-of-contract claims; and advising and negotiating with respect to severance/termination agreements and employment agreements/offer letters. Sue cares a great deal about her clients, takes a strong personal interest in helping them, and provides excellent service and advice to them. She is a person of unimpeachable integrity and is a pleasure to work.