Local Lawyer Criticizes Blind Party Ideology

South Whitehall resident Susan Ellis Wild, a lawyer, is running unopposed on the Democratic ticket for the Lehigh County commissioner seat in District 2 in the May primary.

Wild, 55, will face the winner of the Republican nomination, either incumbent Percy Dougherty or Scott Aquila, both of Lower Macungie, in the November election.

District 2 includes South Whitehall, Upper Macungie and Lower Macungie townships and the Borough of Alburtis.

Wild criticized the current board of commissioners' "unwavering adherence to party lines"  and a "just say no attitude" at the cost of common sense.

She cited the board's recent vote on the Lehigh County Authority and its retention of Going Green grant money to municipalities for environmental projects as particularly egregious.

"I see [they have] no interest in compromise or working things out. There is a dogma, a party line, that's not going to be fooled with no matter what. That disappoints me," she said.

Wild, a trial lawyer for 30 years and the author of several legal books, said she would bring an expertise in advocacy and negotiation to the board.

"One of the things I learned a long time ago was if you can't try to work things out with the other side, you're going to, not only as a lawyer, you're going to do your client a disservice."

Wild said she is a fresh voice in politics. Although she is a Democrat in a district with a Republican edge, particularly with redistricting, she said "it's time to bring new blood into the county government and see if that makes a difference. I think it will. I hope in addition to my overall message, it causes people to vote across party lines."

Wild said county government must be efficiently managed and transparent in its actions.

Wild's background: 

• George Washington University Law School, 1982, graduated with honors.

• Lawyer in the Lehigh Valley since 1988.
• Board-certified civil trial advocate for Gross McGinley in Allentown.
• Elected by her peers as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer in 2010, 2011 and 2012. 
• Past president of the Bar Association of Lehigh County and Women Lawyers of the Lehigh Valley.

• Co-authored or edited several books, including "Webster's New World Law Dictionary" (Wiley Publishing 2006); "U.S. Constitution for Dummies," (Wiley Publishing 2009) and "The Unofficial Guide to Divorce, 2nd edition,"(Wiley Publishing 2005).
•  Active for many years in parent-teacher organizations in the Parkland School District .
• Member of the board of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.
• Two children, Clay, 20, and Addie, 17.