As a former general counsel of a publicly-traded airline (ExpressJet Airlines; XJT:NYSE), Suzi understands the complexity of compensation issues in an era of increased SEC regulation and shareholder participation in compensation decisions, as well as the full spectrum of human resources challenges that companies face.  Suzi has worked cooperatively with the board and management in public, private, and non-profit settings to evaluate and implement executive compensation, company restructuring, company expansion, labor negotiations strategy, reduction in force, succession planning, internal dispute resolution, grievance procedures, and training for both compliance and success.  In addition to the transportation industry, during her employment with the international law firm of Vinson & Elkins LLP, Suzi worked with issues in the technology, retail, hospitality, finance/banking, manufacturing, construction, and healthcare industries. Suzi’s understanding of corporate governance, stock exchange regulations, and securities regulations, enhance her ability to strategically plan and execute compensation and human resource strategies. 

Suzi also provides training that ranges from front-line employees to executives.  Training and communication are essential not only for compliance reasons but to enhance employee morale and create a corporate culture that is consistent with the core values of the company and its employees.  Likewise, prompt and thorough investigation into employee complaints, with appropriate remedial action, is essential to business success.  Suzi serves as a neutral third-party investigator of whistleblower complaints, sexual harassment complaints, and other internal employee complaints.

Suzi worked her way through college, graduate school, and law school in various positions ranging from waitress to teacher.  Prior to obtaining her law degree in 1992 from South Texas College of Law, magna cum laude, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Tarleton State University, summa cum laude, and a master’s degree from the University of North Texas.  She is licensed to practice by the Texas Supreme Court and has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and the United States Courts of Appeal for the Fifth and Sixth Circuits.  She has been board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in labor and employment law since 1997 and was trained as a mediator in 1992.  Suzi is ranked “Preeminent-AV” by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible peer rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.  She participated as a member of the 2010 Southern District of Texas Magistrate Selection Committee.  In 2010, Suzi won the Best Corporate Counsel Award -- Legal Department of 2 to 10 Lawyers for her work as an airline general counsel.  In 2018, Suzi was selected as one of the best employment lawyers in Houston by Super Lawyers. In 2011, she completed an immersion Spanish course in Segovia, Spain.  Suzi participates in mediations and arbitrations involving both Spanish and English.  Translators are available to accommodate other languages for the convenience of parties and witnesses.

Suzi is the former Chairman of the Board for St. Dominic Village, a non-profit residential facility for seniors located in the Texas Medical Center, and currently serves on that Board as Chairman of the Human Resources (Compensation) Committee.  She also served as an independent Board Member at the Weekley YMCA where she served on the Community Outreach Committee (committed to improving the lives of low-income children by providing after-school and summer enrichment programs) and as a member of Jones Partners, an advisory board to the graduate business program at Rice University.

Suzi obtained her 40 hours of mediation training at the Frank Evans Dispute Resolution Center. She also holds certificates in domestic and international commercial arbitration and family law mediation.  She is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors.  She stays current on commercial litigation, labor, employment, and compensation issues through legal and director education courses.

Suzanne Lehman Johnson

Suzi provides mediation, arbitration, human resources consulting, employee training, executive coaching, and internal investigation assistance. With 20 years of legal experience that combines trial attorney and corporate roles, Suzi is able to utilize her broad base of legal experience in mediation and arbitration to resolve disputes involving international and domestic commercial litigation, employment, labor, and domestic issues involving division of a business and assets. Suzi understands employment, benefits, compensation, human resources compliance, and business from the inside and outside.  She has pursued claims in commercial litigation and has defended against such claims.  Through her experience in more than 30 arbitrations as lead counsel and numerous mediations, Suzi has developed a deep respect for the roles of the advocates for each side and is able to quickly understand the critical issues.  In her role as a mediator or arbitrator, Suzi does not give legal advice; instead she acts as an impartial neutral, bringing the parties together in a forum where each side can present the facts of their case and reach a final and binding resolution to their dispute.  Suzi has also served as a neutral umpire in commercial property insurance claim disputes and litigation.

Our People

More Than ADR is committed to providing you with the highest quality professional services. We approach every task with a focus on integrity, professionalism, objectivity, and understanding. We offer valuable assistance through processes that have proven effective:  Mediation, Arbitration, Training, and Consulting.

Her exceptional presentation and organizational development skills are an asset in communication with top management and board members, as well as in training employees from the front lines through the C-suite.  She has an unparalleled ability to build consensus and buy-in among board members, executive team, key customers, strategic partners and the community/media.     

During her work as vice president for a publicly-traded airline, Karen guided strategic transitions for employees from a human resources perspective in an initial public offering, company restructuring, company business expansion, recruiting efforts, training efforts, labor negotiations, and reduction in force.  Karen worked with independent board members and committees to achieve excellent results while observing corporate governance rules and assisting in making all appropriate public disclosures.  Karen’s operations background prior to assuming a human resources role gives her insight and understanding in achieving key business objections successfully and on-schedule while maintaining employee morale and staffing support.  Karen understands how to build a business and has experience in start-ups, small business, and geographic business expansion, internationally and domestically.

Karen provides a key source of expertise for companies and board committees as they address human resources issues, such as succession planning, talent management, and executive compensation. As the new SEC regulations impose more stringent standards and require a sharper focus on full disclosure, board directors want more data and analysis.  When a former human resources executive sits on those board committees as an independent director or assists in a consulting capacity, the board has insight into key human capital issues, employee morale and company culture. Karen has worked actively with the boards of public, private, and non-profit companies.

Karen founded and managed two non-profit employee support organizations, including one to assist employees in need due to family, health, natural disaster, fire or other crises, and one to assist in providing college scholarships to employees and their dependents.

Karen obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from Bethune Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1977.  She has completed educational programs in independent director education, compensation, and business. For example, she has completed the Harvard Business School’s Executive Compensation Planning Program in Cambridge, Massachusetts and also received a Certificate of Director Education from the completion of a National Academy of Corporate Directors course. 

Karen is trained as a mediator and has been awarded a certificate in mediation from the Austin Dispute Resolution Center for fulfilling the 40 hour mediation training requirement in Texas.  In her work as a neutral mediator, Karen assists the parties to negotiate a prompt and effective resolution instead of wasting additional time, money, and energy in contentious litigation.  Karen redesigned and implemented the internal dispute resolution program for non-unionized employees while a vice president of human resources, including training for first level hearing officers and the neutral program facilitator, thus providing a fair and efficient procedure for grieving complaints that was provided at no cost to the employee.    

Karen P. Miles


Karen provides mediation, labor negotiation, human resources consulting, employee training, executive coaching, internal investigation, and board consulting assistance.  Karen has a broad base of both human resources and business operations expertise and is trained as a mediator.  Karen worked in the airline industry for 30 years, with roles that crossed divisions from reservations, to airport operations, to human resources.  Karen also has experience in the real estate, travel agency, manufacturing, marketing, retail, and hospitality industries.  As a vice president of human resources, Karen was responsible for labor relations and negotiations, benefits, employee communications, recruiting, staffing, training, emergency response, disaster planning and recovery, workers compensation, company restructuring, company expansion, succession planning, strategy development, human capital initiatives, and strategic reduction in force. She is able to utilize her broad expertise in human resources and labor relations to work with management and/or board members to staff and organize the workforce through innovative human capital initiatives that enable the company to gain a competitive edge.  She is an accomplished communicator with tremendous success in developing talent to impact top- and bottom-line results.  

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