Sarah has both the experience and knowledge to execute intricate environmental objectives for her clients.

Overview

Sarah’s practice covers all aspects of environmental law, including regulatory compliance, permitting, litigation, and corporate and real estate transactions. She has significant experience representing clients in administrative negotiations with the Environmental Protection Agency and state governmental agencies, particularly under CERCLA/Superfund, solid and hazardous waste laws, and the Clean Water Act, as well as navigating clients through complex site investigation and remediation projects. She also has experience litigating traditional environmental (cost-recovery) and environmental-adjacent (tort) claims.

Sarah’s extensive experience has resulted in environmental litigation success, providing her in-depth knowledge of compliance and permitting under federal and state environmental laws and regulations, and allowing her to develop effective strategies for clients navigating the evolving regulatory landscape around emerging contaminants, such as PFAS and 1,4-dioxane. She routinely advises product and chemical manufacturers, utilities, and municipalities on compliance with state and federal PFAS regulations applicable to environmental media and/or consumer products. Sarah also advises clients on PFAS risks and mitigation strategies in business and real estate transactions. In addition, she dedicates her time to staying informed about changes in PFAS regulation at both state and federal levels.

Prior to law school, Sarah practiced as a CPA where she prepared and reviewed federal and state corporate tax returns for a private international conglomerate with more than $10 billion in gross receipts and operations in a variety of industries, including energy, plastics, and insurance.

Experience

  • Representing major cement manufacturer pursuing cost recovery, contribution, and injunctive relief under CERCLA and state tort law against a company alleged to have caused groundwater contamination.
  • Advising food equipment manufacturer on compliance with EPA's PFAS Reporting Rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
  • Counseling utilities on participation in class action PFAS drinking water settlements or pursuing litigation against PFAS manufacturers.
  • Advising agricultural co-op on natural resource damage assessments under federal and state law.
  • Represented a group of aerospace, manufacturing, entertainment, healthcare, and technology companies in environmental litigation seeking cost recovery, contribution, and injunctive relief under CERCLA and RCRA against dozens of entities alleged to have contributed to groundwater contamination against recalcitrant responsible parties, partial summary judgment against defendants that resulted in millions of dollars of settlements.
  • Represented client in a successful allocation in support of the performance of a $50+ million Superfund cleanup, including negotiation of cash-out settlements and performing party agreements.

News & Insights

Speaking Engagements

You've Got PFAS. Now What? – REGFORM 2024 Missouri Hazardous Waste Seminar, Columbia, MO
04.30.2024

Making Sense of Recent Case Law and the Impact on Air Policy and EHS Management – REGFORM 2023 Missouri Air Compliance Seminar, Columbia, MO
11.08.2023

Recognitions

Recognitions

Selected to the Super Lawyers Missouri and Kansas Rising Stars list, 2023

Missouri Lawyers Weekly Up & Coming Attorneys List, 2022

Professional & Civic Activities

Professional & Civic Activities

Midwest Innocence Project, Board of Directors, 2018-Present

American Royal, Volunteer

University of Kansas Alumni Association

American Bar Association (ABA)

Kansas Bar Association (KBA)

Missouri Bar Association

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • Kansas
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri

Education

University of Missouri-Kansas City, J.D., magna cum laude, 2013

  • Law Review
  • CALI Excellence in Administrative Law Award
  • CALI Excellence in Deferred Compensation Award

University of Kansas, Master of Accounting and Information Systems, 2005

University of Kansas, B.A., 2004

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