In Memoriam: Professor Susan Poehls ’89

William C. Hobbs Professor of Trial Advocacy and former longtime director of Trial Advocacy Programs

LMU Loyola Law School mourns the passing of Professor Susan Poehls ’89, a cherished member of the Loyola community whose influence as a teacher, mentor, and leader shaped generations of attorneys and left an indelible mark on the legal profession. Professor Poehls passed away on Jan. 6, 2026, following complications from breast cancer. She was 64.

An alumna of Loyola Law School and a pillar of its Trial Advocacy Programs for more than three decades, Professor Poehls embodied the school’s deepest commitments — to excellence, ethics, service, and the formation of lawyers who lead with both skill and heart.

A Loyola Journey Rooted in Advocacy

Professor Poehls’ journey with Loyola began as a student, where she distinguished herself early as a formidable advocate. She was named Best Advocate in Loyola’s annual Scott Moot Court Competition and went on to earn Best Advocate honors at the Western Regional rounds of the National Moot Court Competition, sponsored by the American Bar Association. She also received the American Board of Trial Advocates Award, won Loyola’s Byrne Trial Team Advocacy Competition, and helped the Byrne Team capture a regional championship in the National Trial Competition.  

After earning her JD in 1989, Professor Poehls began her legal career in the litigation department of the Los Angeles office at O’Melveny & Myers before answering a deeper calling to public service. She joined the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office in 1991 and later the Los Angeles County Alternate Public Defender’s Office, where she served as a felony trial attorney. Over the course of her tenure, she tried more than 50 cases, ranging from misdemeanor offenses to complex gang homicide trials — experiences that would later ground her teaching in practice, rigor, and profound respect for the courtroom. 

Building a Nationally Respected Trial Advocacy Program

Professor Poehls with her winning trial advocacy team in the 1990s.

In 1996, Professor Poehls returned to Loyola, this time as a full-time clinical professor. What followed was a transformative chapter for the law school and its Trial Advocacy Programs.

Under her leadership, Loyola’s Byrne Trial Advocacy Team grew into one of the most respected programs in the nation, winning myriad national championships and regional titles. The program earned sustained national recognition and is perennially ranked among the Top 10 Best Trial Advocacy Programs in the nation by  U.S. News & World Report. View a full list of the program’s competition results and achievements at the end of this page.

Professor Poehls also served as director of the Hobbs District Attorney Practicum and, in 2002, founded Loyola’s National Civil Trial Competition, which has since become one of the most prestigious invitational tournaments of its kind. Through these programs, she created pathways for students to develop courtroom excellence while remaining grounded in ethical responsibility and service.  

Yet those who worked alongside her knew that accolades were never her focus.

A Professor Who Changed Lives  

Beyond trophies and rankings, Professor Poehls is remembered most for her devotion to students and her extraordinary gift for mentorship.  

“Determined to help her students realize their full potential and become the best advocates they could be, Susan helped launch the successful careers of countless alumni,” Dean Brietta Clark reflected. “She imparted the skills, instilled the confidence, and nurtured the resilience that our alumni credit for their success.”

Her classroom was demanding, but it was also deeply supportive. She challenged students to meet high standards while offering unwavering belief in their ability to rise to them. Many alumni credit Professor Poehls with teaching them not only how to try a case, but how to carry themselves in their lives with integrity, confidence, and compassion.  

That impact was on full display last summer, when dozens of alumni returned to campus to honor her at the Byrne Trial Advocacy Program’s 35-year reunion. John Henry ’99, who succeeded Professor Poehls as director of Trial Advocacy Programs, captured her legacy poignantly: “I had the privilege of watching her pour herself into teaching and saw how much she cared about each and every one of us whom she taught. All of us should pray to have as much of an impact on our students as Susan had on hers.”  

Poehls’ Lasting Legacy

Professor Poehls received Stetson University College of Law’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching Advocacy in 2013.

Professor Poehls’ influence extends far beyond Loyola’s campus. She was widely respected across the trial advocacy community and was honored in 2013 with Stetson University College of Law’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching Advocacy, one of the field’s most prestigious recognitions.

She was approaching her 30-year teaching anniversary at Loyola this summer — a milestone that reflects not only her longevity, but the depth of her commitment to educating attorneys and advocates who have gone on to serve courts, clients, and communities across the country.  

Susan Poehls was a colleague who led with generosity and integrity, a mentor who believed fiercely in her students, and a teacher whose impact will continue to be felt in courtrooms for decades to come.  

The Loyola Law School community is deeply grateful for her enduring legacy and honors her life, her work, and the countless lives she has changed. 

Information about a forthcoming celebration of life will be shared once available.

Selected Achievements: An Unmatched Record of Trial Advocacy Success

The following reflects the extraordinary competitive record of Loyola’s Byrne Trial Advocacy Team during Professor Poehls’ tenure as a student, coach, and program leader.