Biography
Sarah is a top-rated attorney with extensive experience representing both corporate and individual clients at trial and on appeal. Her practice spans a wide range of complex matters, including commercial litigation, transportation and trucking matters, products liability, construction disputes, breach of fiduciary duty, professional liability and legal malpractice, negligence, and other serious personal injury and wrongful death cases. Sarah regularly handles appellate matters and complex legal issues arising from trial court proceedings. She has represented plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts and in arbitration proceedings.
Sarah is a Qualified Mediator pursuant to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §§ 154.052(a) and 154.052(b) (family) and is admitted to practice law in Texas and California.
A native Texan, Sarah lived in the Rio Grande Valley for nearly a decade before returning to the Austin area in 2011. She has remained actively involved in the legal profession through continuing legal education presentations and has volunteered with the Center for Human Rights & Constitutional Law. Earlier in her career, Sarah worked in public service and politics, including roles as a Legislative Aide to United States Congressman Lloyd Doggett in Washington, D.C.
Outside of her practice, Sarah enjoys running.
Education
- University of Texas School of Law – J.D. with honors, 1999
- Texas Lutheran University – B.A. Political Science, magna cum laude, 1996
Recognitions & Distinctions
- Named a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters and a Texas Super Lawyers® Rising Star by Thomson Reuters
- AV Preeminent Judicial Rating Martindale Hubbell
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®: Commercial Litigation (Austin)
Representative Experience
- Lead appellate counsel affirming summary judgment in Sookdial v. Valley Land Title Company, Ltd., No. 13-23-00303-CV, 2025 WL 718715 (Tex.App.—Corpus Christi-Edinburg Mar 6, 2025).
- Lead appellate counsel in defense of dismissal, successfully resolved on eve of oral argument, in Cohrs v. Agrilogic Insurance Services, LLC, No. 24-40493 (5th Cir.).
- Lead appellate counsel affirming summary judgment in Benson v. Fiesta Nissan, Inc., No. 13-20-00516-CV, 2023 WL 5520823 (Tex.App.—Corpus Christi-Edinburg Aug 27, 2023, no pet.).
- Lead counsel in trial court and on appeal, securing and affirming Rule 91a dismissal in Brickley v. Reed, No. 03-22-00453-CV, 2023 WL 2376127 (Tex.App.—Austin Mar 7, 2023).
- Lead counsel in trial court and on appeal, securing and affirming summary judgment via Bill of Review in Bock v. State Farm Mut. Ins. Co. of Texas, 675 S.W.3d 36 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 2023, no pet.).
- Lead counsel in trial court and on appeal, overturning $13 million default judgment in Propel Fin. Servs., LLC v. Conquer Land Utils., LLC, 579 S.W.3d 485 (Tex.App.—Corpus Christi 2019, pet. denied).
- Appellate attorney in affirmance of trial verdict in Chavez v. State Farm Lloyds, 746 Fed.Appx. 337 (5th Cir. 2018).
- Appellate attorney in affirmance of dismissal based on forum non conveniens at the Texas Supreme Court in In re Oceanografia, S.A. de C.V., 494 S.W.3d 728 (Tex. 2016).
- Lead counsel in trial court and on appeal, securing dismissal in Head v. Las Vegas Sands, LLC, et al., 760 Fed. Appx. 281 (5th Cir. 2019) and 298 F.Supp.3d 963 (S.D.Tex. 2018)
- First chair in defense of client bank at arbitration related to alleged breach of loan agreement, damages in excess of $20 million. Arbitration panel ruled in favor of client and awarded fees.
- Co-chair for defendant in federal bad faith insurance jury trial, successfully resolved during trial.
- Second chair for plaintiff in jury trial with verdict of approximately $6.5 million on behalf of distributor against manufacturer, for breach of contract and related claims.
- Second chair at arbitration for defendant and counter-plaintiff, complex commercial claims related to asset purchase agreement, resulting in arbitration award of damages and fees in favor of client.
- Trial team member representing major Texas law firm in defense of claims for legal malpractice brought by former clients alleging multiple millions in damages, complete defense verdict upheld on appeal.
- Secured summary judgment for national non-profit organization against claims made by former employee who was fired for financial improprieties and related criminal investigation and theft charges.
Speaking Engagements & Presentations
- Legal Malpractice – State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial (Dallas), October 2025
- Malpractice and Ethics Update – TADC Spring Meeting (Louisville), April 2025
- Hello From the Other Side! Lessons learned defending claims and grievances against attorneys – Private client firm retreat presentation (Austin), November 2024
- New Texas Business Court – State Bar of Texas CLE Webcast, August 2024, with Kennon Wooten and Marcy Greer
- Hot Topics in Insurance Law – TADC Summer Meeting (Lake Tahoe), July 2024
- Saddle Up! We Mean Business (Court)! – Austin Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, May 2024
- Saddle Up! We Mean Business (Court)! – State Bar of Texas Women and the Law CLE, May 2024
- Let’s Grow Together – Development and Communications with Young Attorneys – TADC Annual Meeting (Horseshoe Bay), September 2024, with Dania Sadi
- A Day in Federal Court – Trial – Western District of Texas Federal Court Practice Seminar, May 2023
- Defeating the Reptile – TADC Winter Meeting (Steamboat Springs), January 2023
- Service Through Social Media and New Amended Rules – San Antonio Trial Lawyers Association Annual CLE (San Antonio), September 2022
- Insurance Update – State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial CLE (Dallas), July 2022
- Avoiding Legal Malpractice – State Bar of Texas Collections and Creditors’ Rights CLE (San Antonio), May 2022
- Insurance Update – State Bar of Texas Annual Litigation Update CLE (San Antonio), January 2022
- Texas Supreme Court 2021 – Insurance Decisions: Shifting the Playing Field – State Bar of Texas Insurance Section Annual CLE (San Antonio), August 2021
- Changes to Texas Rules of Civil Procedure – Austin Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, May 2021, with Judge Stephen Yelenosky
- Rules Update – State Bar of Texas Damages in Civil Litigation (San Antonio), February 2021, with Anne Johnson and Kennon Wooten
Memberships & Affiliations
- Texas Bar Foundation Fellow and District 9 Nominating Committee Member
- Austin Bar Foundation Fellow
- Texas Association of Defense Counsel – District 10 Director
- State Bar of Texas
- Women and the Law Section Council Member and Executive Committee
- Litigation Section Member
- Texas Association of Defense Counsel (TADC)
- Austin Bar Association – Civil Litigation Section Board Member and Executive Committee
- Hidalgo County Bar Association
- Cameron County Bar Association
- Texas Bar College
- American Bar Association Professional Liability Committee and Litigation Section
Admissions
- State Bar of Texas (1999)
- State Bar of California (2001)
- United States District Courts: Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas
- United States District Courts: Central District of California
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit