Sara Watkins was first drawn to plaintiff litigation after realizing her passion for helping people in times of need. Her empathetic approach to client interaction allows her to better connect with clients, which improves her abilities to represent them both in and out of court. Sara’s compassionate style is well balanced by her keen eye for intricate details and complex case law. She uses her skills to advocate for clients in areas including class actions, pharmaceutical and device cases, civil rights matters, and personal injury lawsuits.
Growing up in Shaler Township, Pennsylvania, Sara would eventually go to Washington & Jefferson College. There, she double majored in Political Science and Studio Art— two topics that represent her out-of-work interests. She then attended Duquesne University Kline School of Law, where she earned a spot on the Duquesne University Law Review and acted as the President of the Jewish Law Student Association (JLSA).
Over the course of her career, Sara has settled several cases in excess of a million dollars and tried cases to verdict in Pennsylvania. Sara’s achievements have been recognized by federal courts with formal leadership appointments in MDL 3092, In Re: Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation and MDL 3021, In Re: SoClean, Inc., Marketing, Sales Practices & Products Liability Litigation, & MDL 3140, In Re: Depo-Provera (Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate) Products Liability Litigation .
Sara serves on the Board of Governors for the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association (WPTLA), a service-oriented group that supports the rights of injured people. Sara also serves on The Allegheny County Bar Association Judiciary Committee, a committee responsible for reviewing and interviewing judiciary candidates in Allegheny County. She has been selected as a Top 40 Under 40 by The National Trial Lawyers. Sara is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association, American Bar Association, American Association for Justice (AAJ), Pennsylvania Association for Justice (PAJ), and Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association (WPTLA).
In addition to her litigation work, Sara volunteers her legal services to transgender members of the LGBTQ+ community seeking name change petitions through the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund’s “Name Change Project.”
Outside of work, Sara is an artist and is active in the local art community. She is passionate about her art and considers it a creative outlet that flows into her legal practice.
Education
Bar Admissions
Appointments
Honors and Awards
Professional Associations and Memberships
Published Works
State Anti-BDS Laws Counteracting the BDS Movement… And the Constitution, 56 DUQ. L. REV. 199 (2018)
Classes/Seminars
