Dear LMU Community:
I am saddened to share that Susan Poehls, the William C. Hobbs Clinical Professor of Trial Advocacy and inaugural director of LMU Loyola Law School’s Trial Advocacy Programs, passed away on Jan. 6, 2026, from complications of breast cancer. She was 64 years old.
After an impressive career as a public defender, Professor Poehls joined the law school’s faculty in 1996 as a full-time clinical professor, overseeing what is now the Poehls/Hobbs District Attorney Practicum and the Byrne Trial Advocacy Team. In 2002, she created and became the director of Loyola’s National Civil Trial Competition, which has become one of the most prestigious invitational tournaments in the country.
Professor Poehls was a mentor to many colleagues in the trial advocacy community, known for her steadfast ethics and beloved by her peers both within and beyond the academy. She was the 2013 recipient of Stetson Law School’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Advocacy Teaching, the 2015 recipient of the LLS Fidler Institute on Criminal Justice Award, and the 2022 recipient of the American Association for Justice Award for her impact on trial advocacy education.
Beyond the many accolades she earned, Professor Poehls was especially proud of her students’ successes. Over 29 years, Professor Poehls developed Loyola’s Byrne Trial Advocacy Team into one of the top-ranked trial teams in the country, winning seven national championships and numerous regional championships. Under her leadership, the law school has perennially been ranked among the Top 10 Best Trial Advocacy Programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. These achievements are a reflection of her extraordinary dedication to her students, as she nurtured the foundational skills and confidence needed for them to launch successful careers as trial lawyers.
Professor Poehls’ lasting impact on students was profound and deeply personal. Dozens of alumni returned to campus last summer to pay tribute to her at the Byrne Trial Advocacy Program’s 35-year reunion. For many, her influence set a standard for what meaningful teaching looks like – and the kind of impact they hope to have on their own students. Her commitment to her students is carried on by her former student and mentee John Henry ’99, who succeeded Professor Poehls as director of Trial Advocacy Programs and continues to nurture the next generation of trial advocacy lawyers, inspired by her enduring influence.
Please keep Susan, her family (including son Nick Poehls ’14 and daughter Caroline Poehls ’18), her students, and her colleagues in your thoughts and prayers.
With care,
Thomas Poon, Ph.D.
President and Professor of Chemistry