Sarah's practice focuses on representing corporate debtors, secured creditors, lenders, and unsecured creditors in a variety of business Chapter 11 cases. She has had significant involvement in most of the large Chapter 11 cases filed in the Eastern District of Virginia. Sarah also has experience representing a variety of creditors in matters involving Chapter 5 causes of action, automatic stay and discharge injunction violations, and bankruptcy-related Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Fair Credit Reporting Act matters. Sarah also enjoys guest lecturing at the University of Richmond School of Law and the American University Washington College of Law.
Prior to joining McGuireWoods LLP, Sarah worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Douglas O. Tice, Jr., Chief Judge, and the Honorable Blackwell N. Shelley, both from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Represent Fifth Third Bank in Paper Source
Represent Ad Hoc Crossover Noteholder Group in Alpha Media
Represent Ad Hoc Group of Secured Noteholders in Guitar Center
Represent Non-RSA Term Lender Group in Ascena Retail Group
Represent Administrative Agent for Prepetition ABL Secured Parties in Chinos Holdings (JCrew)
Represent Carlyle Global Credit Investment Management LLC in Le Tote
Represent co-chair of unsecured creditors committee in Intelsat
Represent secured lender in LeClairRyan
Represent DIP Lenders in Toys “R” Us
Represent DIP Lenders in Gymboree
Represent Premier Exhibitions, Inc. and RMS Titanic, Inc. as special litigation counsel for debtors (M.D. Fla.)
Represent DIP Lenders in Penn Virginia Corporation
Represent DIP Lenders in Alpha Natural Resources
Represent DIP Lenders in Patriot Coal II
Represent unsecured creditors committee in Xinergy Ltd. (W.D. Va.)
Represent AMF Bowling Worldwide, Inc. as Chapter 11 debtor
Represent Circuit City Stores, Inc. as Chapter 11 debtor
Represent US Airways Group, Inc. as Chapter 11 debtor (2002 and 2004 cases)
Represent Workflow Management, Inc. as Chapter 11 debtor
Represent Ennstone Inc. as Chapter 11 debtor
Represent A. Wimpfheimer & Bro., Inc. as Chapter 11 debtor
Represent Brill Media Company, LLC as Chapter 11 debtor
Represent Motient Corporation as Chapter 11 debtor
Represent secured lender in Movie Gallery, Inc.
Represent unsecured creditors committee in Rowe Furniture, Inc.
Represent chairperson of unsecured creditors committee in FLYi, Inc. (Del.)
Represent unsecured creditors committee in NTELOS, Inc.
Represent independent directors in breach of fiduciary duty and fraudulent transfer litigation in Orion Healthcorp, Inc. (E.D.N.Y.)
Represent purchaser and secured creditor in aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty and fraudulent transfer litigation in Delta Career Education Corp.
Represent Freddie Mac in HOA lien foreclosure litigation in Nevada
National bankruptcy counsel for Sprint, including sale transaction and resulting litigation in RadioShack (Del.)
National bankruptcy counsel for leading financial institution regarding mortgage, servicing and loss mitigation matters
Board of Governors, Bankruptcy Section, Virginia State Bar, Chair, 2018-2019; Vice-Chair, 2017-2018; Secretary, 2016-2017; Executive Committee, 2019-2021; Newsletter Editor, 2013-2016
Bankruptcy Section, Richmond Bar Association, Chair, 2019-2020; Vice-Chair 2018-2019; Secretary/Treasurer, 2017-2018; Executive Committee, 2015-2017
Member, Richmond Bankruptcy Bar Liaison Committee, 2018-present
Member, Standing Committee on Local Bankruptcy Rules, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Virginia, 2009-2011
American Bankruptcy Institute, Member, Author; Newsletter Editor, Business Reorganization Committee, 2008-2010
Virginia Network of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, Chair, 2008-2010; Membership Co-chair, 2011-2012
Selected for inclusion in America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Virginia, Chambers USA, 2015-2021
Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy, Woodward/White, Inc., 2018-2021
Named to "Legal Elite," Bankruptcy/Creditors' Rights, Virginia Business, 2009-2012, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020
Named to “Top 50 Women Virginia Super Lawyers,” Thompson Reuters, 2016, 2021
Named to "Virginia Super Lawyers," Bankruptcy: Business, Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2015-2021
Named to "Virginia Rising Stars," Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights, Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2008-2013