October 10, 1955 – January 12, 2026
A Founding Partner, Leader, and Friend
It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Susan K. Burkhart.
Susan was a founding partner of Cranfill Sumner, practicing at the firm from its inception in 1992 until her retirement in 2020. Over nearly three decades, she helped shape the firm into what it is today through her exceptional legal skill, unwavering integrity, and deep commitment to excellence. Her influence on our culture, our practice, and our people remains a lasting and indelible part of our history.
Throughout her distinguished career, Susan maintained a dual-focused practice in insurance defense litigation and municipal land use litigation. She instituted or defended more than 100 declaratory judgment actions and defended numerous class actions. Susan tried many jury and bench trials in both state and federal courts and appeared before the North Carolina Court of Appeals, the North Carolina Supreme Court, all three districts of the United States District Court of North Carolina, and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Susan was widely regarded as one of North Carolina’s leading insurance coverage attorneys. Her decades of professional achievement were recognized through an AV rating from Martindale‑Hubbell, reflecting the highest standards of legal ability and ethics. She was a frequent lecturer on insurance coverage and land use issues and served as a trusted advisor to insurers and municipalities on best practices to avoid litigation.
A respected leader within the legal community, Susan served as Chair of the Litigation Section of the North Carolina Bar Association and served on the Boards of Directors of both the North Carolina Bar Association and the Wake County Bar Association. She was an active member of the Insurance Law and Planning and Zoning Sections of the North Carolina Bar Association and served on numerous bar committees throughout her career.
Susan’s professional excellence was consistently recognized by her peers. She was repeatedly selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of Insurance Law, named Best Lawyers Raleigh Insurance Law “Lawyer of the Year” in 2014 and 2017, and selected as a North Carolina Super Lawyer® from 2009 through 2019. Most recently, she was honored with the North Carolina Bar Association Insurance Law Section’s inaugural Distinguished Service Award, a fitting capstone to a career defined by service, leadership, and impact.
Beyond her remarkable professional accomplishments, Susan was a cherished colleague and a true friend to many at Cranfill Sumner. She was known for her sharp intellect, professionalism, generosity of spirit, and willingness to mentor and support those around her. Her legacy will endure not only through her contributions to the firm and the profession but through the many lives she touched along the way.
Our thoughts are with Susan’s family, friends, and all who were fortunate enough to know her.
