Meet Atty. Barranco

Susan V. Barranco is an attorney licensed to practice in Wisconsin and Illinois who serves as a business advisor and advocate with an emphasis on workers’ compensation litigation. In 2024, Susan founded Barranco Legal, ltd., drawing upon experience defending hundreds of litigated matters from start to conclusion while leading a successful law office branch.

In addition, Susan is an adjunct professor at Marquette University Law School, where she teaches the workers' compensation course.

Before starting her own practice, Susan spent over 11 years as an attorney with one of the nation's largest and most successful insurance defense litigation firms, rising to shareholder. In that time, she opened and served as the managing partner for the firm’s branch office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, while maintaining a full case load and delivering results for clients. Susan defended around 500 cases personally while overseeing countless more in her role mentoring many young associate attorneys.

Susan served as Chief Justice to the Moot Court board at Marquette Law, where she also placed first in the Jenkins Honors Moot Court Competition in 2011, sharing the Franz C. Eschweiler Prize for Best Brief and earning the Ramon A. Klitzke Prize for Best Oral Argument.

Susan, Class President for Menomonee Falls High School (class of 2000), also spoke at her high school graduation. She is a skilled and engaging speaker who has presented on many topics in the workers' compensation arena. Susan is a born leader who served as captain on her high school sports teams. She is a competitor, thriving in an adversarial litigation profession while developing a high degree of respect from colleagues for her collegial attitude and pragmatic approach to defense handling.

Susan, a Milwaukee native, resides in the Jacobus Park neighborhood of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, with her wife Chloe, and their children, Beatrice and August, and cats, Coco and Calcetín. Back when she was fun (before becoming a lawyer), Susan enjoyed writing and performing spoken word poetry. These days, she enjoys reading, swimming, and spending time with family and friends.

Susan earned a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, double majoring in English (Honors in the major; Distinction in Senior Thesis -- novella "Skipping Sixth") and Communications, from Lake Forest College. Susan studied abroad in Rome, Italy in fall 2002. She was selected as a member of LFC’s “Senior 25” for the Class of 2004. Susan earned a Juris Doctor, cum laude, graduating in the top 10% of her class from Marquette University Law School, where she gave the valedictory address at commencement.