


Susan D. Garbutt
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Susan D. Garbutt attended the University of Vermont as an undergraduate, majoring in Psychology and Pre-Med. Ms. Garbutt earned her B.A. in 1985, graduating cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, making the Dean’s List all semesters. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School in 1988. During law school she clerked for a general practice law firm in Burlington, Vermont gaining experience in business, family, healthcare, criminal and civil litigation.
After graduation, Ms Garbutt moved to Southern California and became an associate in a medical malpractice defense firm. She moved over to West, Borges, Rosa & Douville, LLP in 1990 handling all aspects of medical malpractice, governmental entity, general liability, products liability, and insurance defense litigation from pleadings through trial. She has obtained outstanding arbitration, bench and jury trial outcomes. She was also a member of the Robert Banyard Inn of Court.
In 1995, Ms. Garbutt moved back east with her family where she practiced insurance coverage, business, environmental, professional malpractice and personal injury litigation in New Jersey. She continued procuring excellent results trying civil cases and defending attorneys facing ethics violations. Ms. Garbutt thereafter joined the healthcare group of White & Williams in Philadelphia, PA, continuing her career in medical malpractice and hospital defense litigation.
Returning to Southern California, the area she loves best, Ms. Garbutt became “Of Counsel” to the firm in 2006. Ms. Garbutt focuses on handling cases involving unique legal issues and questions of law.
Ms. Garbutt resides in Laguna Beach with her family and enjoys spending time with family and friends.