Suzanne Hulst Clawson

Shareholder  |  Columbia

Meet Suzi

Suzi Clawson has extensive experience representing both public and private issuers with respect to 1933 Act and 1934 Act securities registration and reporting compliance and corporate governance, while also advising public and private company clients on both sides of merger and acquisition transactions.

Her clients— listed on the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ—have ranged in size from small companies with only around $150 million in assets to large companies with over $18 billion in assets and have represented a broad spectrum of businesses, ranging from financial services to manufacturing and utility services. Their corporate activities (as opposed to business operations) are governed and regulated primarily by state business corporations law, federal securities law and the rules of the stock exchanges on which they are listed.

Suzi has participated as SEC and corporate counsel in numerous IPOs and other registered securities offerings. She routinely advises public companies about SEC annual and quarterly reporting requirements, proxy matters and insider trading issues, as well as stock exchange listing and reporting requirements. Suzi has also acted as counsel in going private transactions and tender offers.

Suzi also advises on corporate governance matters, including corporate governance documents, committee charters and governance principles, director and committee independence, related party transaction issues and fiduciary duties of directors.

She has also represented organizers of banks, thrifts and bank holding companies in connection with organization and applications to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, as well as in connection with stock offerings to raise required capital.

Education
  • University of South Carolina, J.D., 1983
  • University of South Carolina, B.A., magna cum laude, 1979
  • University of Warwick, Coventry, England, 1978-1979
Admissions
  • South Carolina, 1983
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 1992
Honors and Awards
  • The Best Lawyers in America© Corporate Compliance Law (2011-2025), Corporate Governance Law (2011-2025), Corporate Law (2010-2025), Securities/Capital Markets Law (2008-2025) and Securities Regulation (2011-2025)
  • Best Lawyers® 2022 Corporate Law “Lawyer of the Year” Columbia
  • Best Lawyers® 2019 Securities/Capital Markets Law “Lawyer of the Year” Columbia
  • Order of the Coif
  • Order of the Wig and Robe
  • South Carolina Law Review, Articles Editor
Professional and Civic Activities
  • Columbia Museum of Art Board of Trustees (2021-Present)
  • Society for Corporate Governance Professionals
  • Columbia Economics Club
  • Columbia Bank Counsel
  • South Carolina Bankers Association
  • South Carolina Bar, Banking and Securities Law Section, former Chair
  • American Bar Association
  • Leadership South Carolina, Class of 1990, Board of Governors (1990-1993)
  • Leadership Columbia, Class of 1989, Chair (1994-1995), Leadership Columbia Committee (1989-1995)
  • University of South Carolina, Board of Visitors (1988-1991)
Presentations and Publications