Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Business & Commercial Disputes

Partner - Litigation and Investigations

Sarah Hartley is a partner in the Washington and Boulder offices practicing in the Business & Commercial Disputes and Antitrust practice groups. She is co-lead of the Higher Education team, the head of the firm’s Outdoor Industry team, and a member of the Sports and Entertainment Group. She also serves on the board of the BCLP women’s affinity group.

Sarah has significant experience in complex commercial litigation and antitrust disputes, representing local, national and multinational companies in all stages of their dispute resolution process. She has represented clients in disputes related to higher education, healthcare, oil and gas development, financial products, First Amendment issues, intellectual property, trade secrets, product liability and contract matters. She has developed expertise with clients’ most complex disputes in the oil and gas industry, the insurance, healthcare and financial services industries, and the telecommunications industry, among others. She has taken lead roles in a broad range of litigation matters, including second-chair in multiple arbitrations, state and federal court trials, and jury trials.

She has worked with sports clients in the Olympic movement, professional sports, and collegiate sports, and is regularly consulted on Safe Sport matters, governance, and ethical issues. Her practice includes representing NGBs in connection with investigations and disciplinary proceedings involving allegations of sexual misconduct and physical abuse, governance issues, sponsorships, and employment agreements. She has handled numerous contentious disputes regarding allegations of sexual misconduct by coaches, athletic personnel, and others, and has assisted in the development of Safe Sport policies and arbitration procedures for the new U.S. Center for Safe Sport.

Sarah also serves as an advisor to universities on Title IX compliance, including preparing and reviewing policies and procedures, training, and consulting on the handling of allegations of Title IX violations.  Additionally, she regularly serves as a hearing officer and appeals officer for Title IX complaints. She is well-situated to help universities update their policies and procedures as the regulatory environment changes, and to help institutions complete objective and timely investigations and disciplinary proceedings regarding alleged violations of Title IX.

In addition to her experience in private practice, Sarah serves as adjunct professor for a course focusing on sports governance, sexual misconduct, doping, and other sports topics for the University of Virginia School of Law, and has previously taught a similar course at the University of Colorado Law School.  She also has guest lectured for the University of Oregon School of Law’s Summer Sports Law Institute.