Susanne Sachsman Grooms is a partner at Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP. As a former federal prosecutor and one of the nation’s leaders in congressional investigations, Susanne’s practice focuses on helping clients navigate high stakes, complex investigations that potentially involve multiple federal and state agencies, Congress, and regulatory authorities, as well as significant reputational concerns.
Susanne joined KHF after serving for more than a decade in the senior leadership of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, the principal investigative committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. Most recently, she served as the deputy staff director and chief counsel for Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney and her predecessor Chairman Elijah E. Cummings, overseeing a team of more than 70 attorneys, investigators, and communications and support staff on fast-paced, high-volume, and high-profile investigations involving the government, private industry, and individuals. Chairwoman Maloney has described Susanne as “a superb attorney with exceptional political judgment.”
Leading the investigative staff of the Committee on Oversight and Reform from 2011 to 2021, Susanne supervised and conducted hundreds of investigations and congressional hearings on a wide variety of matters, including topics related to the financial sector, health care, technology, energy, environment, education, national security, government and corporate management, federal contracting, cyber security, privacy, the coronavirus pandemic, executive misconduct, personnel practices, ethics, civil rights, and voting. She has worked extensively with whistleblowers, inspectors general, and state attorneys general. Susanne first joined the Oversight Committee as a counsel under Chairman Henry A. Waxman, from 2007 to 2008.
Susanne has been a critical part of the Congressional oversight of national crises. Most recently, she served on the investigatory and Senate trial teams for both of the impeachments of Donald J. Trump, and she helped establish and provided strategic counsel to the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. She also served for more than two years as the staff director and general counsel for Ranking Member Elijah E. Cummings on the Select Committee on Benghazi, and in that role managed and directed all aspects of a high-profile investigation that culminated in an 11-hour public hearing with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In 2010, Susanne was detailed to the White House, where she served as deputy associate counsel in the Office of Presidential Personnel, vetting presidential appointments and nominations and providing advice on tax compliance and other legal matters.
Chambers highly ranked Susanne for her work in government relations and congressional investigations. Susanne was named to Washingtonian Magazine’s “Most Influential People in Washington” list, and a “Leading Plaintiff Employment & Civil Rights Lawyer” and “Leading Litigator in America” by Lawdragon.
Updated Oct 2023
