Sara’s practice focuses on business and commercial litigation, and personal injury torts. She has represented and counseled clients in a wide range of pending or threatened disputes in state and federal courts, and in mediations. Sara has extensive experience with complex commercial disputes, real estate litigation, business torts, and shareholder/partner/member disputes. Sara also has substantial experience with employment issues, construction-related disputes, civil rights matters, and appellate advocacy.
As general counsel to chapter 7 bankruptcy trustees, Sara has pursued preferential and fraudulent transfers on behalf of bankruptcy estates. She has also represented creditors’ rights in bankruptcy matters.
Prior to joining Thorpe Shwer, Sara was a Partner at Witthoft Derksen and at Zwillinger Greek Knecht & Gibson, PC. Before entering private practice, Sara served as a law clerk to the Honorable James B. Sult (Ret.) of the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division I.
Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
- Arizona Supreme Court
Education
- The University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law, J.D.
- Senior Managing Editor, Arizona Journal of International & Comparative Law
- The University of Arizona, College of Agriculture, School of Family & Consumer Science, M.S., Summa cum Laude
- Pepperdine University, B.A. in Psychology, Magna cum Laude
Professional Affiliations
- Arizona Bankruptcy American Inn of Court, Associate Member
- Arizona State Bar, Member
- Maricopa County Bar Association, Bankruptcy Section Board Member
- Arizona Women Lawyer’s Association, Member
- Federal Bar Association, Member
Representative Cases
- Braillard v. Maricopa County, et al., 224 Ariz. 481, 232 P.3d 1263 (Ct. App. 2010)
- ABCDW LLC v. Banning, 241 Ariz. 427, 388 P.3d 821 (Ct. App. 2016)
Community Activities
- Central United Methodist Church, Board of Trustees, 2013 to 2015
- Team in Training, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 2013 to 2016