President and CEO
von Briesen & Roper s.c. | Milwaukee
Susan Lovern is president and CEO of Milwaukee-based von Briesen & Roper s.c. and co-chairs the firm’s commercial and business litigation section. She represents clients in complex business litigation and appeals in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitrations and mediations. von Briesen has roughly 300 employees across its offices in Milwaukee, Madison, Neenah, Waukesha, Green Bay, Eau Claire and Chicago. It entered the Chicago market in 2020 and opened a larger office in the city’s West Loop earlier this year.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Northern Iowa; J.D., University of Iowa
What would you do if you could choose another career: “I’ve hardly ever considered this because I love being a lawyer, but if I had to choose, I might try consulting or teaching.”
Historical figure you look up to: “Justice Sandra Day O’Connor; she broke boundaries and ceilings and inspired countless young women to work in the law, and she did so with grace, courage, integrity and fairness.”
First and most recent concert: “My first concert was Chicago in Sioux City, Iowa, and the most recent were U2 and Adele, within one day of each other in Las Vegas.”
If you could time travel: “I’d spend a day in a covered wagon on the Oregon Trail in 1840 or attend the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.”
2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile
Business Services | Law
President and CEO
von Briesen & Roper s.c. | Milwaukee
Susan Lovern was elected president and chief executive officer of Milwaukee-based law firm von Briesen & Roper s.c. in 2020, becoming the first woman to hold the position. Lovern also chairs the firm’s commercial and business litigation section. In addition to its Milwaukee headquarters, Von Briesen also has offices in Madison, Neenah, Green Bay, Eau Claire, Waukesha, Mequon and Chicago. The firm has been retained in high-profile disputes including the demolition of the former Northridge Mall in Milwaukee and a case involving Milwaukee businesses’ claims to insurance coverage for COVID-related losses.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Northern Iowa; J.D., University of Iowa College of Law
Fun fact: “I’ve twice been interviewed on television about Sandra Day O’Connor – the first time for a morning show while in the seventh grade about the importance of her then recent nomination to the Supreme Court, and the second time 25 years later in 2006 to discuss the influence and importance of Justice O’Connor’s tenure when she announced her retirement from the Court.”
Nonprofit cause that has special meaning to you: “I currently sit on the board for the Milwaukee Public Library Foundation. Libraries are some of our most important public and neighborhood spaces we have.”
First job: “I sold advertising to businesses on a commission basis for a summer during high school and learned that selling is fun and rewarding if you believe in what you’re selling.”
Favorite destinations: “Door County; Northwest Montana; Arizona; Washington, D.C.; New York City; Europe; and any national park.”
