Sue Lawless: Bringing Fairness and Clarity to Trucking Compliance

Lawless speaking on the "Compliance Under Pressure: Mastering Today’s Complicated Regulatory Landscape" panel discussion at the Women In Trucking Association's 2025 Accelerate! Conference & Expo

The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has announced Sue Lawless as its June 2026 Member of the Month. Lawless is a partner at Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary, P.C.

Throughout her career, Lawless has built a reputation as a trusted legal and regulatory advisor within the trucking industry. With a deep understanding of compliance, enforcement, and transportation operations, she has become a respected voice in conversations surrounding safety, accountability, and fairness in trucking oversight. Her work continues to help companies navigate increasingly complex regulatory environments while keeping safety at the center of every decision.

Lawless first entered the trucking and transportation industry through litigation work defending trucking companies in personal injury lawsuits. Early in her career, she worked alongside a partner whose enthusiasm for trucking operations made a lasting impression on her. Rather than viewing transportation law solely through a legal lens, she was encouraged to understand how the industry truly operates, from the day-to-day realities of drivers to the operational challenges faced by fleets.

That curiosity quickly evolved into a long-term passion for the trucking industry itself. Over time, Lawless immersed herself in the operational and regulatory side of transportation, building a career focused on helping companies understand the systems that govern them while preparing for the realities of audits, investigations, and enforcement actions.

Today, one of the aspects of her role she finds most meaningful is helping people navigate an industry that can often feel overwhelming due to the volume and complexity of federal regulations. She believes compliance should not simply be about checking boxes or memorizing rules. Instead, it should help create safer operations while allowing businesses to function effectively in the real world.

Much of Lawless’ work involves translating complicated regulations into practical guidance that companies can understand and implement. Her approach is rooted in helping businesses understand not only what is required of them, but why those requirements matter and how they contribute to safer operations across the supply chain.

As the transportation industry continues to evolve, Lawless has become especially passionate about issues surrounding fairness and transparency in oversight and enforcement. With agencies increasingly relying on large data sets and artificial intelligence tools in compliance and enforcement decisions, she believes transparency and accountability are more important than ever.

She has spent significant time helping companies respond to high-stakes Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enforcement actions. Those situations often carry enormous pressure and uncertainty for carriers, particularly when the consequences can affect operations, safety ratings, and business continuity. Lawless has developed a reputation for helping clients step back from the immediate stress of a situation, understand the issues clearly, and move forward with a practical strategy.

Her ability to navigate these complex situations comes from years of experience combined with a willingness to ask difficult questions and thoroughly prepare clients for the realities they may face during audits, investigations, or litigation. She sees this work as an important part of creating safer and more accountable transportation operations.

Lawless has also contributed to broader industry conversations through leadership opportunities related to government policy and enforcement. She values the opportunity to help shape discussions that impact the industry beyond individual cases or clients. For her, the work is not only about solving immediate problems but also helping create systems that trucking companies and drivers can trust.

Like many women who have built careers in transportation, Lawless faced challenges early in her professional journey. In many rooms, particularly those focused on operations, she was often the only woman present. Rather than allowing that to discourage her, she focused on learning the business thoroughly and taking on difficult assignments that others may have avoided. Over time, that knowledge and experience helped establish her confidence and credibility within the industry.

As her career progressed, she also learned the importance of setting boundaries and recognizing when to say no. While she admits that balancing those demands can still be a challenge, she credits much of her growth to understanding both the importance of hard work and the importance of protecting her time and energy.

Lawless remains motivated by the fact that transportation is constantly changing as regulations evolve, technology advances, and new enforcement trends continue to emerge. She enjoys the challenge of solving problems that do not always have straightforward answers and appreciates the creative thinking required to help companies navigate uncertain situations.

“Be curious and don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know yet or by the status quo,” says Lawless. “No one starts out knowing everything about any industry or job. In my experience, most women tend to underestimate how much they know. Take the time to understand how things work but when you know the answer don’t be afraid to say it out loud.”

Her involvement with WIT has provided another important connection point within the industry. Through the association, Lawless has been able to stay connected with professionals across every corner of transportation while gaining perspective from the people directly impacted by regulations and policy decisions every day.

Outside of her professional work, Lawless enjoys activities that allow her to slow down and focus creatively. She loves baking and sewing, both of which provide a tangible sense of accomplishment while helping her decompress from the fast pace of legal and regulatory work. More recently, she has been learning to knit, an experience she describes as both humbling and relaxing.

Family also plays an important role in helping her stay grounded as one of her favorite weekly rituals is taking long walks with her son and their dog, Lola. Whether the conversation centers on life, school, or detailed discussions about video games, those moments provide a chance to slow down, reconnect, and appreciate the importance of balance.

What may surprise some people is the path that shaped much of her resilience. Lawless shares that she was a single mother for many years and once lived on a farm in a 200-year-old log house without heat. The experience taught her perseverance and gave her a practical perspective she still carries today.

As transportation continues to adapt to new technologies, evolving regulations, and changing expectations, professionals like Lawless remain essential to helping the industry move forward responsibly. Through her work, leadership, and commitment to fairness, she continues to make a meaningful impact on trucking companies, drivers, and the broader transportation community.

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