Susan H. Lent
Partner
Areas of Focus
- Infrastructure & Transportation
- Transportation Policy & Regulation
- Autonomous Systems & Advanced Mobility
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Government Contracts & Grants Policy
- Technology
- Emerging Technologies
- Energy & Environment Policy
- Public Private Partnerships
- Government Contracts
- State & Local Procurement
- Federal Funding Policy
- Administrative & Regulatory Litigation
- Claims, Disputes & Litigation
- Bid Protests
- Sovereign and Government Investors
- Freedom of Information Act
- Government Contracts & Supply Chain
- Government Contracts Mergers & Acquisitions
- Heads the firm’s transportation & infrastructure practice and co-heads the firm’s autonomous systems & advanced mobility practice.
- Advises companies in the automotive & advanced mobility sector on compliance with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) laws and regulations and represents clients in Department of Transportation (DOT) investigations and enforcement actions, including regarding safety defects and vehicle recalls.
- Advises clients regarding compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Regulations and Hazardous Material Regulations and in related enforcement actions.
- Advises clients seeking federal financial assistance from DOT, the Department of Energy (DOE) and other federal agencies, including regarding legal requirements for grants, loans and cooperative agreement, grant administration and regulatory compliance and represents clients in investigations and enforcement actions.
Susan advises companies regulated by DOT regarding compliance with laws and regulations and in investigations and enforcement actions, including clients in the automotive sector, motor carriers and businesses involved in the transportation of hazardous materials.
Susan also advises clients pursuing federal grants, loans and cooperative agreements for infrastructure projects from DOT, DOE and other agencies and contractors that contract with recipients of such funding. She advises clients pursuing grants and loans regarding the application process and compliance obligations and advises clients being audited, investigated and subject to enforcement actions.
Susan is experienced representing clients before the:
- DOT
- NHTSA
- FMCSA
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
- Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- DOE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- U.S. Congress.
Before joining Akin, Susan served as counsel to the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and as counsel for investigations and oversight to the House Committee on Transportation.
Automotive & Autonomous Vehicles
Susan advises clients regarding compliance with laws and regulations governing automakers and equipment suppliers, including autonomous vehicles (AV). She represents clients subject to NHTSA safety-related defect investigations, vehicle recalls and enforcement actions. She provides guidance regarding importation of vehicles in compliance with NHTSA regulations. She also advises clients regarding compliance with the laws affecting AVs at the federal and state levels.
Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and Hazardous Materials Regulations
Susan advises motor carriers on compliance with FMCSA regulations and Hazardous Materials Safety Regulations. She advises motor carriers and shippers regarding compliance with the broad range of laws and regulations, including marking and packaging of hazardous materials, placarding, compliance with hours of service regulations, DOT registration and reporting requirements, drug and alcohol testing requirements, and in investigation and enforcement matters. She also has obtained exemptions and challenged adverse decisions.
Airports & Aviation
Susan represents airports, airlines, airport developers, concessionaires and fixed-base operators. She is experienced with the applicable laws and regulations, including FAA grant assurances, consumer protection, and procurement rules,
Transportation & Energy Infrastructure
Susan advises clients that receive federal financial assistance in the form of grants, loans and cooperative agreements for transportation and energy infrastructure projects and contractors who provide goods and services to projects that receive federal financial assistance.
Susan has a deep understanding of the laws and regulations applicable to federal funding of road, bridge, port, rail, transit and renewable energy infrastructure, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements, permitting regulations, procurement laws, domestic content requirements and grant administration requirements.
Susan provides a range of services from pursuit of grants, loans and cooperative agreements, to complying with federal conditions, to responding to audits and enforcement actions. She also advises on procurements and contract disputes.
Susan assists clients apply for and secure low cost loans from DOT and DOE, including advising on the process for securing a loan and the conditions on loans.
- Assist clients regarding NHTSA investigations and recalls.
- Advised Keolis, a global provider of transportation services, in connection with its participation in a pilot project sponsored by AAA to operate an autonomous shuttle in the city of Law Vegas. The self-driving shuttle is the largest self-driving pilot project in the United States to operate in live traffic.
- Assisted a foreign government draft enabling laws for a smart city, including addressing AV testing and integration and licensing of ride sharing.
- Assisting clients seeking authority to test AVs on public roads.
- Advising a leading original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and automotive parts manufacturer, on federal and state regulatory requirements related to its development and deployment of AVs and automotive equipment, including advising regarding NHTSA investigations.
EducationJ.D., The George Washington University Law School, 1986
B.A., Emory University, 1983
J.D., The George Washington University Law School, 1986
B.A., Emory University, 1983
Bar AdmissionsDistrict of Columbia
District of Columbia
- The Legal 500 US, Government relations, 2020 to 2021 and Government contracts, 2019 to 2023.
- Vice Chair, Federal Infrastructure and Clean Energy Finance Committee, Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice.
- Served as a member of the transportation advisory committee for a presidential transition.
- Acted as Counsel to the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- Served as Counsel, Investigations and Oversight, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- “Transportation Infrastructure: Reconnecting Communities,” Kayo Infrastructure Summit 2022, (Austin, TX, November 9, 2022).
- “The Lay of the Land – Understanding the New Infrastructure Law,” American Coal Council’s Spring Coal Forum, (March 1, 2022).
- “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Understanding Grant, Loan and Contract Opportunities and Compliance Obligations,” Akin Webinar, (January 26, 2022).
- “Our Future Challenge – Tolling Solutions that Work for Everyone,” IBTTA Summit on Finance & Policy, (Orlando, FL, May 21, 2019).
- “Purchasing & Selling Government Contracts,” Association of Corporate Counsel National Capital Region Presentation, (Washington, D.C., November 8, 2018).
- “City of Tomorrow,” Akin Gump Seminar, (Abu Dhabi and Dubai, October 21, 2018).
- “2018 Trends in Investment Opportunities and #metoo Risk Mitigation,” Akin Gump’s Annual Los Angeles Investment Funds Symposium, (Los Angeles, CA, May 3, 2018).
- “2017 Trends & Developments,” Akin Gump’s Annual New York Private Investment Funds Conference, (New York, NY, October 2, 2017).