FMCSA safety chief joins Scopelitis law firm

Sue Lawless will help lead the firm’s safety practice in DC

Lawless served as acting chief of FMCSA at its DOT headquarters in Washington. (Photo: John Gallagher/FreightWaves)
Sue Lawless. Credit: FMCSA

WASHINGTON — Former FMCSA Acting Deputy Administrator and Chief Safety Officer Sue Lawless will be joining Indianapolis-based Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson and Feary in October, the law firm announced on Tuesday.

Lawless, who briefly lead FMCSA in an acting role after the resignation of administrator Robin Hutchison in January 2024, will help lead the law firm’s safety practice and will be based in its Washington, D.C. office.

“Sue has been a leader on the front lines in shaping policy and influencing the law within the trucking industry for many years,” said Greg Feary, a Scopelitis partner, in a news release. “Scopelitis is quite fortunate to gain Sue’s superior foresight, skill, and knowledge. She is a perfect addition to our DC office.”

While leading the agency as acting deputy administrator last year, Lawless weighed in on the issue of predatory towing and its effects on trucking in comments filed with the Federal Trade Commission.

“It is detrimental to the overall health of the trucking industry, and it’s time to end excessive rates, surcharges and other unfair fees associated with predatory towing,” she said.

Prior to her position as chief safety officer at FMCSA, Lawless served as director of the agency’s Motor Carrier, Driver, and Vehicle Standards Division, as well as its assistant chief counsel for enforcement and litigation.

Click for more FreightWaves articles by John Gallagher.

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Fraud & Security

Freight Fraud Symposium

Double brokering. AI deepfakes. Identity theft. Freight fraud is an existential threat to the industry. Get ahead of it.

May 20, 2026
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame • Cleveland, OH
Register Now
AI & Technology

Supply Chain AI Symposium

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

July 15, 2026
The Old Post Office • Chicago, IL
Register Now
Rail & Policy

Future of Rail Symposium

Reshoring is rewriting freight demand. Join shippers, rail executives, and government officials to shape the next decade.

July 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Fraud & Security Freight Fraud Symposium May 20 • Cleveland, OH

Double brokering. AI deepfakes. Identity theft. Freight fraud is an existential threat to the industry. Get ahead of it.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame • Cleveland, OH Register Now
AI & Technology Supply Chain AI Symposium Jul 15 • Chicago, IL

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

The Old Post Office • Chicago, IL Register Now
Rail & Policy Future of Rail Symposium Jul 28 • Chattanooga, TN

Reshoring is rewriting freight demand. Join shippers, rail executives, and government officials to shape the next decade.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

John Gallagher

Based in Washington, D.C., John specializes in regulation and legislation affecting all sectors of freight transportation. He has covered rail, trucking and maritime issues since 1993 for a variety of publications based in the U.S. and the U.K. John began business reporting in 1993 at Broadcasting & Cable Magazine. He graduated from Florida State University majoring in English and business.