Attorney Susan M. Holden Inducted Into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers
IATL president Joe H. Tucker, Jr. (center right) presents the award recognizing SiebenCarey attorney Susan M. Holden (center left) as an Academy Fellow. Also pictured are Holden’s husband Brian Gaviglio (far left) and Theresa Bevilacqua, the Minnesota attorney with Dorsey & Whitney who introduced Holden for induction.
Susan M. Holden of Minneapolis-based SiebenCarey Personal Injury Law was inducted as a Fellow into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL) during the organization’s recent 2025 Mid-Year Meeting.
“Selection as a Fellow at the Academy represents a pinnacle career accomplishment in the legal profession,” said Jim Carey, SiebenCarey’s managing partner. “It’s the real deal, and no surprise to us. Susan has served her clients and the profession at the highest levels, earning her place among the giants of the trial Bar.”
The International Academy of Trial Lawyers is an invitation-only fellowship of lawyers with a singular mission—to protect and promote the Rule of Law. Founded in 1954, the Academy comprises the world’s top trial lawyers, as measured by skill, experience, ethics, and civility. It represents both sides of the trial bar: prosecutors and defense lawyers in criminal cases; plaintiff and defense counsel in civil litigation.
“Standing shoulder to shoulder with so many remarkable lawyers was truly humbling and inspiring,” Holden said of the induction ceremony held July 25, in Vancouver, British Columbia. “I look forward to furthering the Academy’s mission to learn, mentor, and drive justice forward.”
Holden’s peers have also selected her for several of the profession's other most prestigious membership organizations, including the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, and the American Board of Trial Advocates. Holden also earned certification as a Civil Trial Specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association in 1995, a distinction held by fewer than 1% of Minnesota lawyers.
Holden’s primary practice area is personal injury and wrongful death cases. She is a partner at SiebenCarey and has been representing injured individuals and their families at the firm since graduating from Mitchell Hamline School of Law in 1988.
She currently resides in Blaine, Minn.
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About Fellowship in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers
The Academy stands as the world’s foremost trial lawyer organization, dedicated to excellence, advocacy, and legal reform. The membership includes 500 active trial lawyers in the United States and over 150 Fellows from 30 countries, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in civil cases, as well as prosecutors and criminal defense lawyers. For more information, visit: www.iatl.net.
