Suzannah Dowling
Suzannah Dowling is an associate in Pierce Atwood’s Employment Practice Group. Suzy is a trained and certified Title IX Investigator through ATIXA. She regularly conducts investigations into complaints involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and other forms of alleged misconduct for independent schools, professional organizations, businesses, and institutions of higher education. She approaches each case from an unbiased and trauma-informed perspective and conducts thorough investigations with sensitivity and efficiency.
In addition to her robust investigation practice, Suzy represents clients in state and federal employment litigation in both Maine and Massachusetts and before state administrative agencies, including the Maine Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD).
Suzy also regularly advises clients on a variety of employment matters, including:
- Employee discipline and performance management,
- Disability accommodations and leave issues (including FMLA, ADA, paid leave laws),
- Drafting and reviewing workplace policies to ensure legal compliance,
- Hiring and termination practices,
- Reductions in force and WARN Act compliance,
- Drafting and reviewing employment agreements, restrictive covenants, separation agreements, and severance agreements,
Prior to joining Pierce Atwood, Suzy served as law clerk to the Honorable William Kayatta of the U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit and the Honorable Jon D. Levy, U.S. District Court, District of Maine.
Suzy graduated first in her class at Maine Law and earned an unprecedented eleven CALI awards for attaining the highest grade in courses ranging from Property to Employment Law.
Suzy was also the head case note and comment editor for the Maine Law Review and founded the student group, If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice.
Before law school, Suzy was a senior business immigration specialist in the Boston office of a large international law firm.
In her free time, Suzy enjoys making homemade jams and jellies, distance running, and spending time with her kids, husband, and cats.
- Maine Law Upper Level Writing Project Award, awarded for the best Upper Level Writing Project by a graduating student (2021)
- Maine Law Faculty Scholastic Achievement Award, awarded to the member of the graduating class who has achieved, over the course of three years of legal studies, the highest academic average (2021)
- Maine Law Foundation Alumni Award, awarded to the member of the graduating class who, in the estimation of the faculty, is an outstanding member of the graduating class (2021)
- (Un)Due Process: Adversarial Cross-Examination in Title IX Adjudications, 73 Me. L. Rev. 123 (2021)
- Vice Chair of the North Yarmouth Select Board (2025-present)
- Member, Board of Directors, Girls on the Run - Maine (2025-present)
- North Yarmouth Economic Development & Sustainability Committee (2024-2025)