Susan E. Burns Cochran

Susan Burns Cochran’s current law practice focuses on legal research and writing for other attorneys on the topics of land use and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In addition, she serves as a hearing officer for code compliance matters.

A 1988 graduate of the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, Ms. Burns Cochran began her career in public service in 1995 as the City Attorney for the City of Lathrop, ultimately working in the cities of Santa Clara and Elk Grove. During her career as a municipal lawyer, she focused on land use, zoning, planning, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In 2012, Ms. Burns Cochran transitioned to working for the California Energy Commission as a hearing officer/administrative law judge for power plant siting and certification--again focusing on land use and CEQA. She retired from public service in 2022 and opened her own law office, primarily doing legal research and writing for other attorney on land use and CEQA.

During her career as a municipal lawyer, Ms. Burns Cochran was a contributor to the Municipal Law Handbook and presented papers to the City Attorney's Department of the League of California Cities. She also attended the National Judicial College, completing coursework in Administrative Law: Fair Hearing Evidence Challenges for Administrative Law Judges, Ethics for Judges, and Judicial Writing.