Sarah concentrates her practice on complex insurance coverage. She assists clients with analyzing the unique facts of each claim against coverage and navigating strategic litigation in the event of a coverage dispute. Sarah advises on many areas of insurance, including commercial general liability, directors and officers, errors and omissions, environmental and premises pollution liability, and surplus lines issues.
Before joining Cozen O’Connor, Sarah practiced with an established civil defense firm in Portland, Oregon, where she honed skills unique to Oregon, which does not permit expert discovery or interrogatories. There, Sarah gained valuable experience defending general liability and professional malpractice claims (including those of captive insurance agents), contract disputes, and insurance coverage actions, including claims for bad faith. She also second-chaired an insurance coverage arbitration, helping secure a victory for her client, who sought benefits under a long-term care policy.
Sarah’s knowledge and experience go beyond her Oregonian roots; she has crafted and argued dispositive motions in state and federal courts. Sarah brings extensive experience analyzing legislative history and state congressional archives in the development of complex summary judgment motions in high-value, environmental cleanup coverage actions.
Prior to practice, Sarah clerked for the Honorable Karsten H. Rasmussen, Presiding Judge of Lane County Circuit Court in Eugene, Oregon, and externed for the Honorable Michael J. McShane, U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.
Sarah graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Western Washington University and earned her law degree from the University of Oregon School of Law. In her free time, you can find Sarah roaming the foothills and ridgelines of the Cascades with her sweet-natured (but headstrong) little dog, Bitsy, or otherwise training in anticipation of the annual 199-mile relay race, Hood to Coast.