Susan Donovan, director of the Mediation Law Clinic at The University of Alabama School of Law, was appointed to the Alabama Supreme Court Commission on Dispute Resolution. In this position, Donovan will help lead the development of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Alabama. Her service began in February of 2021 and will run through December of 2023.
Donovan received her B.A. from Birmingham Southern in 1984 and took her J.D. from Duke in 1987. She practiced with Howrey & Simon in D.C., and returned to Birmingham to work her way to partnership at Bradley Arant. She also had a private practice in Tuscaloosa from 2001 to 2009, where she focused much of her efforts in family law. During that time, Donovan was also a Guardian Ad Litum on appointed and pro bono cases, and she was as an advocate in juvenile, family, and circuit courts.
Her experiences serve her well as she oversees the UA Law Mediation Clinic—which offers free mediation services to help families reduce the emotional trauma associated with prolonged family court litigation. In this clinic, UA Law students receive professional training, as they assume the role of mediator, which gives them real-world experience and prepares them for careers as lawyers and mediators.