Susan Bassford Wilson

Susan focuses her practice on management-side employment law and serves as co-chair of Constangy’s Digital Workplace and Data Privacy Practice Group. Susan concentrates on counseling and litigation prevention for technology, transportation, healthcare, and retail companies. She handles a wide range of employment matters in federal and state courts across Missouri and Illinois, as well as successfully representing employers in mediation, arbitration, and administrative matters before the EEOC, NLRB, MCHR, and IDHR. 

Susan enjoys assisting employers in proactively addressing employee issues through policy development, audits, and training. She frequently publishes, presents, and provides training to human resources, trade, and employer groups on a variety of employment law issues, such as digital workplace challenges, conducting internal investigations, and the gig economy. Susan earned her law degree from the University of Michigan, and her undergraduate degrees in journalism and psychology from the University of Missouri.

• Selected for Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge (2020)
• Selected for Diversity and Inclusion Award, Missouri Lawyers Media (2018)
• Selected as a Rising Star, Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers^® (2012-2019)
• Up & Coming Lawyer and Law Firm Leader, Missouri Lawyers Weekly (2015)
• Selected for Women in Leadership Program, FOCUS St. Louis Coro™ (2014)

• American Bar Association, Litigation Section
  • Employment and Labor Relations Committee (2010 – present)
  • Chair of E-Discovery and Social Media Issues Subcommittee (2015 – 2019)
• Missouri Bar Association
  • Labor and Employment Committee (2010-present)
  • Women in the Profession Committee (2010-present)
• Women in eDiscovery, St. Louis Chapter
• AAIM Employers' Association, Member and Panelist (2010-present)
• Human Resource Management Association of Greater St. Louis (HRMA), Member and Panelist (2010-present)
• Alumni Association of the University of Michigan
• Mizzou Alumni Association
• Sacred Selections Adoptions, St. Louis Chapter, Founding Board Member and Committee Chair (2010-present)

Susan is married and the proud Mom of three delightful children. In her scant spare time, she enjoys reading, camping, baking and college football.

• “What NOT to Do: Lessons from the plaintiff’s bar,” Keynote moderator for SHRM of Greater St. Louis’ Annual Legal Update, February 19, 2020.
• “The Price is Wrong: Update on Wage-and-Hour Issues in 2020,” Presentation for SHRM of Greater St. Louis’ Annual Legal Update, February 19, 2020.
• “Website Accessibility 101,” Tire Review, February 2020.
• “Current Topics in Employment Law," Seminar for SHRM of Southeast Missouri and the Cape Area Personnel Association, November 2019. 
• “In Praise of Training: Why you need to spend the time (and money) to train your employees,” Tire Review Magazine, September 2019. 
• "Gig Workers: A Boon Or A Legal Bane For Businesses?," HR Insights eNewsletter, September 2019.
• “Difficult Conversations: How to Handle Workplace Conversations About Everything From Poor Performance to Personal Hygiene,” Presentation for SHRM of Greater St. Louis Annual Leadership Conference, October 2019. 
• “The Gig Economy and You: Employment Law Implications for the Future of the Workforce,” Presentation for 2019 SHRM Missouri State Conference, August 7, 2019. 
• “Workplace hazards: What today’s business leaders and executives need to know,” Panelist for Missouri Lawyers Weekly’s Crisis Management Conference, June 25, 2019. 
• “A Look into the Crystal Ball: 2019 Employment and Labor Law Developments for HR Professionals,” Keynote panelist for SHRM of Greater St. Louis’ Annual Legal Update, February 2019.
• “Navigating the Bermuda Triangle of FMLA, ADA, and Worker's Compensation: Intermittent Leave, the Interactive Process, and More,” Presentation for SHRM of Greater St. Louis’ Annual Legal Update, February 2019.
• “Unemployment Benefits: Considerations When Contesting a Claim,” Tire Review, December 2018.
• "Current Topics in Employment Law," Seminar for SHRM of Southeast Missouri, November 2018.
• “Gender Benders: Preventing & Defending Sex-Based Claims in the Workplace,” Presentation for SHRM of Greater St. Louis, October 2018.
• “Can I Ask Them to Sign That? An Introduction to Employment Agreements,” Tire Review, September 2018.
• “Sexting, Security & Social Media: Digital Dilemmas in the Workplace & How to Solve Them,” Presentation for 2018 SHRM Missouri State Conference, August 2018. 
• “Sexting, Security and Social Media: Digital Dilemmas in the Workplace and How to Solve Them,” Presentation for HRMA, July 2018.
• “Annual Performance Reviews: Yes or No?,” Tire Review, June 2018. 
• "What to Do When the Government Knocks,” Tire Review, May 2018.

• “Employment Law Updates,” Presentation for Human Resources Association of Central Missouri, May 2018. 

• “2018 Employment Law Workshop,” Presentation for SHRM of Southeast Missouri and Cape Area Personnel Association Annual EMPOWER Human Resources and Management Conference, April 2018.

• "A Double-Edged Smiley? Emojis in Employment Suits Cut Both Ways," Quoted by Bloomberg Law, April 2018.

• “#MeToo: How to Prevent and Investigate Sexual Harassment At Work,” Tire Review, March 2018. 

• "#MeToo and Investigating Sexual Harassment in the Workplace," Winston-Salem Government Affairs, February 2018.

• “HR Misconduct Went Viral. Now What?,” Quoted by Bloomberg Law, February 2018. 

• Moderator of keynote panel and presenter for the Human Resource Management Association of Greater St. Louis' Annual Conference Annual Legal Update, February 2018. 

• “Six Ways to Keep From Being Sued by Your Employees,” Tire Review, January 2018.

• “Avoiding Employment Lawsuits Over the Holiday Season,” Tire Review, October 2017.
• “Knowing the Laws Protecting Military Service Members,” Tire Review, October 2017. 
• "Sexting, Security & Social Media: Digital Dilemmas in the Workplace & How to Solve Them," Presentation for the Human Resource Management Association of Greater St. Louis' Annual Conference, October 2017.
• "Labor and Employment Law Under the Trump Administration: A 2017 Overview for Employers," Presentation for St. Louis International Public Management Association for Human Resources, October 2017.
• "The Ethics of Social Media in Employment Law," Presentation for the Missouri Bar’s Annual Labor and Employment Symposium, October 2017.
• “Employment Law Update,” Presentation at Missouri State SHRM Conference (co-presenter), August 2017.
• “Anatomy of a Lawsuit Not ‘As Seen on TV’,” Tire Review, July 2017.
• “Digital Workplace,” Presentation for the St. Louis Paralegal Association, April 2017.
• “Monitoring Employees,” Tire Review, March 2017.
• “CEOs Should Avoid Overexposure on Social Media,” quoted by Bloomberg BNA, February 2017.
• "Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)" Policies," ConstangyTV: Close-Up on Workplace Law, February 2017.
• “Preventative Healthcare for Your Company,” Tire Review, December 2016.
• “The DOL’s New Rule Regarding Salary Levels for Exempt Employees,” Presentation for St. Louis International Public Management Association for Human Resources, October 2016.
• “The Use of Social Media in Hiring and Firing Decisions,” Roundtable Presentation for Litigation Section of the American Bar Association, October 2016.
• “Bring Your Own Device to Work,” Presentation for the Missouri Bar, October 2016.
• “$47,476 is the New $23,660,” Tire Review, September 2016.
• “The DOL’s Final Rule Regarding Salary Levels for Exempt Employees,” Presentation for the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce’s Business Builders Workshop, September 2016. 
• “FMLA: Not a Radio Station,” Tire Review, July 2016.
• “The Patchwork Quilt: Employment Law Essentials for Employers of LGBT Employees,” Presentation for St. Louis International Public Management Association for Human Resources, June 2016.
• "What Employers of LGBT Employees Need to Know," Tire Review, May 2016.
• “Not an LOL Matter: Tips on BYOD, Social Media and Data Security,” AAIM Employers' Association Presentation Series, April 2016.
• “Transgender and Same-Sex Marriage Implications in the Workplace,” Presentation for SHRM of Southeast Missouri and Cape Area Personnel Association Annual EMPOWER Human Resources and Management Conference, April 2016.
• “What to Do When Bill Becomes Sue: Employment Law Essentials for Employers of LGBT Employees,” Presentation for Human Resource Management Association of Greater St. Louis’ (HRMA) Annual Legal Update, February 2016.
• "Problem Employees," Tire Review, February 2016.
• “Managing Workplace Risks Raised by Social Media,” Bloomberg BNA, January 2016.
• "2015 Bring Your Own Device To Work," Presentation for the Missouri Bar, October 2015.
• "The Payday Polka," Tire Review, November 2015.
• "Internal Investigations," Tire Review, October 2015.
• "Walking the Social Media Tightrope," Tire Review, July 2015. 
• “What Every Employer Needs to Know About Social Media,” Presentation for the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce Social Media & Digital Marketing Seminar, June 2015.
• “Creating a Positive Work Environment,” Presentation for the Missouri Juvenile Justice Association Spring 2015 Educational Conference, May 2015.
• "BYOD: Bring your own device or bring your own disaster?," Presentation for SHRM of Southeast Missouri and Cape Area Personnel Association Annual EMPOWER Human Resources and Management Conference, April 2015.
• "Employee Handbooks," Tire Review, April 2015.
• "Hiring and Firing the Legal and Correct Way," Tire Review, February 2015. 
• "Social Media Boot Camp: Social Media Issues Related to Potential and Current Employees," Presentation for the Tennessee Bar Association Law Tech UnConference 2015, February 2015.
• "Defriending Facebook: Social Media Perils and Pitfalls," Presentation for Human Resource Management Association of Greater St. Louis' (HRMA) Annual Legal Update, February 2015.

View Past Publications/Presentations