Susan M. Hansen is a partner and attorney in the firm of Brownson & Ballou, PLLP. Upon graduation from law school, Ms. Hansen served as a judicial law clerk in the First Judicial District before joining private practice in 1988.

Since 1988, Ms. Hansen has specialized in toxic exposure defense litigation. She has acted as Minnesota, regional, and national trial counsel in personal injury asbestos litigation, managing litigation in over 30 jurisdictions.

From 1989-2004, Ms. Hansen was National Coordinating Counsel for a fabricator and distributor of gasket products in asbestos litigation.  In her capacity as National Coordinating Counsel, she coordinated and developed defense strategy and multi-district discovery; coordinated and developed expert witnesses; selected, coordinated, and directed local counsel in various jurisdictions throughout the United States; and acted as a liaison between local counsel, the client, and insurers.

Ms. Hansen is currently Regional and National Trial Team Counsel for a major building industry manufacturer and distributor.

Ms. Hansen has represented defendants in asbestos personal injury trials in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Connecticut.

Ms. Hansen advises manufacturers, distributors, and insurers regarding potential toxic tort exposures and litigation. Ms. Hansen also maintains an active practice advising corporate clients regarding environmental and toxic tort insurance coverage matters and multiparty environmental and toxic tort claims-handling agreements.

Ms. Hansen has been an invited guest lecturer on the topics of complex civil litigation, multi district litigation, and environmental and toxic tort litigation. She represents employers and individuals in employment, and employment-related discrimination, and harassment claim litigation in both state and federal court. In addition, she is actively involved in mediation and other alternative dispute resolution.

Ms. Hansen is AV rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

Education

• William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., 1987

• University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1984