Profile

Sarah is a litigation attorney and Chair of the White Collar Defense, Public Corruption & Investigations Group.  She helps business owners and public leaders navigate crises by safeguarding their rights and protecting them from government overreach.  Sarah’s experience includes:

    • representing witnesses and targets before state and federal grand juries;
    • defending individuals and entities accused of criminal or regulatory violations;
    • defending public officials in proceedings before the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission;
    • assisting clients with disputes involving the U.S. Department of Justice, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, and other state and federal agencies;
    • conducting Title IX and other internal investigations; and
    • providing guidance on compliance with various statutory regimes, including the Pennsylvania State Ethics Act and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

In her civil litigation practice, Sarah defends public and private entities in civil rights cases and represents businesses in complex commercial disputes.  She has represented clients in both state and federal court on breach of contract claims and business torts (including fraud and misrepresentation).  She assists businesses and individuals with obtaining licenses to work as private investigators.  She is also a member of the appellate and post-trial practice group, having handled numerous appeals.

Prior to joining McNees, Sarah was a law clerk for The Late Honorable William W. Caldwell, United States District Judge.  She graduated summa cum laude from Penn State Law in 2013.

Sarah proudly serves as a board member of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL).  She is an Events Committee Chair for the Federal Bar Association – Middle District of Pennsylvania Chapter, a member of the Harrisburg Rotary Club, and the Dauphin County Bar Association.  She was  a 2021 recipient of the Central Penn Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 award, and has been regularly recognized by The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch.

EDUCATION

University of Rochester, B.A., cum laude 

Dickinson School of Law of The Pennsylvania State University, J.D., summa cum laude 

MEMBERSHIPS

Dauphin County Bar Association

Pennsylvania Bar Association

Federal Bar Association – Middle District of Pennsylvania Chapter

American Bar Association – Criminal Justice Section

Harrisburg Rotary Club

Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Board Member

Leadership Harrisburg Class of 2020

HONORS/AWARDS

Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, President’s and Directors’ Commendation, 2024

The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, 2021, 2022, 2025

40 Under Forty, 2021

COURT ADMISSIONS

U.S. District Court – Middle District of Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court – Western District of Pennsylvania

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Bar Admissions

Pennsylvania

Ohio

PUBLICATIONS

December 5, 2023 - New Sentencing Guideline 4C1.1 - Great News for White Collar Offenders (Maybe) but Hurry Up and Wait (as Long as they Qualify)
For the Defense

July 21, 2023 - High Court Finds False Claims Act Liability Hinges on Subjective Intent
The Legal Intelligencer

December 21, 2022 - Nasir, Adair, and the Return of Textualism to Federal Sentencing

July 12, 2022 - Examining the Intersection of Medical Negligence and Criminal Law in Pa
The Legal Intellegencer RaDonda Vaught’s case has led to vigorous opposition from various medical professional interest groups that object to what they view as essentially the criminalization of mistakes, which are inherent in a health care setting.

March 17, 2022 - PA Attorney General Warning to Pennsylvania Automotive Dealers
McNees Automotive Dealership Alert

January 26, 2022 - Federal Court Finds Educational Institutions Can Be Held Liable Under Title IX for Actions of Non-Students
McNees White Collar & Internal Investigations Alert

April 6, 2021 - PPP Fraud Compliance: The Best Payroll Protection A Company Can Have
Corporate Counsel Business Journal

February 23, 2021 - PPP Fraud Compliance: The Best Payroll Protection A Company Can Have
White Collar & Internal Investigations Client Alert

March 1, 2019 - New DOJ Policies Open the Door to Cooperation for More Companies
Corporate Counsel Business Journal

November 6, 2018 - Advancing Clarity and Cooperation – An Overview of the DOJ’s New FCPA Corporate Enforcement Policy
In Hot Pursuit of Federal Criminal Justice

June 29, 2018 - Litigation News
Recent Supreme Court Decisions Strengthen Drivers’ Privacy Rights l The Cost of Online Fundraising: Crowdfunding Campaigns and Their Potential Use in Civil Litigation

August 7, 2017 - DOJ Pilot Program Measures Up in First Year: The tone is cooperative, but companies are warned to self-disclose
Metropolitan Corporate Counsel

June 20, 2016 - 6 Tips On Legal Writing From A Former Federal Law Clerk

May 1, 2012 - Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: How Federal Courts Took the ‘Fair’ Out of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010