Bar Admissions
- Maryland (1994)
Court Admissions
- Supreme Court of the United States
- 1st Circuit Court of Appeals
- United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
- All Maryland state courts
Ms. Lawless’ practice focuses on issues relating to surface transportation including regulatory compliance, transportation policy, and Department of Transportation rules and regulations within the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
As the former Chief Safety Officer and Executive Director for FMCSA, Ms. Lawless has in-depth knowledge and experience working through various rulemaking, regulatory compliance, and adversarial issues within the Department, including the deployment of autonomous vehicles. She routinely advises on issues such as:
- DOT safety
- DOT audits and investigations
- DOT commercial regulatory compliance including broker, household goods, and registration related issues
- Defense of civil penalty proceedings and other enforcement actions
- Assistance with DataQs and Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse challenges.
- Post-crash investigation support
- Review and drafting transportation contracts and policy for compliance with Departmental regulations and requirements
- Autonomous vehicle regulatory compliance
- Preemption issues
- Exemptions
- Hazardous materials compliance
Ms. Lawless has been a frequent keynote speaker at numerous industry groups delivering remarks on FMCSA priorities, key FMCSA programs, and other issues.
- University of Baltimore School of Law
Transportation Technology: Work that Saves Lives, aka Careers You Never Thought of But Should Have
Big Rigs, Big Risks: Legal Hot Topics in Trucking
A Truckload of Autonomy: Preparing for the Specific Needs of AV Trucks
License to Hire: Navigating Driver Vetting and Compliance Across Borders
Driver Hiring: A Legal and Compliance Discussion
Compliance Under Pressure: Mastering Today's Complicated Regulatory Landscape
What it's Like to be a Regulatory in a Post-Chevron Deregulatory World
Bar Admissions
- Maryland (1994)
Court Admissions
- Supreme Court of the United States
- 1st Circuit Court of Appeals
- United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
- All Maryland state courts
Bar Admissions
- Maryland (1994)
Court Admissions
- Supreme Court of the United States
- 1st Circuit Court of Appeals
- United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
- All Maryland state courts
Ms. Lawless’ practice focuses on issues relating to surface transportation including regulatory compliance, transportation policy, and Department of Transportation rules and regulations within the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
As the former Chief Safety Officer and Executive Director for FMCSA, Ms. Lawless has in-depth knowledge and experience working through various rulemaking, regulatory compliance, and adversarial issues within the Department, including the deployment of autonomous vehicles. She routinely advises on issues such as:
- DOT safety
- DOT audits and investigations
- DOT commercial regulatory compliance including broker, household goods, and registration related issues
- Defense of civil penalty proceedings and other enforcement actions
- Assistance with DataQs and Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse challenges.
- Post-crash investigation support
- Review and drafting transportation contracts and policy for compliance with Departmental regulations and requirements
- Autonomous vehicle regulatory compliance
- Preemption issues
- Exemptions
- Hazardous materials compliance
Ms. Lawless has been a frequent keynote speaker at numerous industry groups delivering remarks on FMCSA priorities, key FMCSA programs, and other issues.
- University of Baltimore School of Law
Transportation Technology: Work that Saves Lives, aka Careers You Never Thought of But Should Have
Sue Lawless will present “Transportation Technology: Work that Saves Lives, aka Careers You Never Thought of But Should Have” at the 2026 Grace Hopper Celebration, October 27-30, Anaheim, CA.
Big Rigs, Big Risks: Legal Hot Topics in Trucking
Sue Lawless presented 2 panel discussions: “Big Rigs, Big Risks: Legal Hot Topics in Trucking” and “From Crash to Courtroom: Effective Defense of the Dangerous Condition” at the Transportation Research Board’s Transportation Law Symposium, July 13-15, in Irvine, CA.
A Truckload of Autonomy: Preparing for the Specific Needs of AV Trucks
Sue Lawless will present “A Truckload of Autonomy: Preparing for the Specific Needs of AV Trucks” at the ITS America Conference, June 9, in Detroit, MI.
License to Hire: Navigating Driver Vetting and Compliance Across Borders
Sue Lawless will present “License to Hire: Navigating Driver Vetting and Compliance Across Borders” at the Transportation Lawyers Association’s Annual Conference, April 29, in Amelia Island, Florida.
Driver Hiring: A Legal and Compliance Discussion
Chris Eckhart and Sue Lawless will present “Driver Hiring: A Legal and Compliance Discussion” at the California Trucking Association’s Annual Membership Conference, January 21-23, in Monterey, California. Chris McNatt will also attend.
