Sarah Gilbert

Partner

Overview

Sarah Gilbert is co-chair of Crowell & Moring’s Litigation Group. Sarah handles complex commercial disputes, from pre-litigation through appeal, with a focus on the financial services sector. She has successfully represented financial services clients in a wide range of high-stakes litigation matters, including those related to corporate transactions, financial products, business torts, and asset sale disputes. In addition to her experience litigating commercial disputes, she focuses her practice on the area of health care litigation, representing major health plans and other managed health care companies in class actions, antitrust litigation, and other complex matters. Her class action experience also includes representing companies in the food, telecom, and insurance industries.

Sarah has been recognized for her legal excellence by Crain’s New York Business in their annual 2022 Notable Women in Law list. Crain’s highlighted her successes, including her defense of “a number of top-tier financial institutions in high-stakes litigation” and “her significant victory on behalf of a private equity fund in a case involving allegations of misappropriation of fund assets, and her extensive experience in class actions, consumer fraud, unfair competition, and commercial contracts.”

Career & Education

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    • University of Arkansas, B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, 2004
    • Stanford Law School, J.D., With Distinction, 2007
    • University of Arkansas, B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, 2004
    • Stanford Law School, J.D., With Distinction, 2007
    • New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
    • New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • Professional Activities and Memberships

    • New York Women's Bar Association

    Clerkship and other distinctions:

    • Judicial Clerk, S.D.N.Y., Hon. Cathy Seibel, 2009 – 2010

    Professional Activities and Memberships

    • New York Women's Bar Association

    Clerkship and other distinctions:

    • Judicial Clerk, S.D.N.Y., Hon. Cathy Seibel, 2009 – 2010

Sarah's Insights

Publication | 01.10.23

Consumer Class Actions Expand into New Sectors

With the number of class action suits quadrupling over the past five years, cases now include the advertising of any category of consumer goods.

Representative Matters

  • Represented global energy producer in obtaining favorable resolution of New York County Commercial Division proceeding involving claims under an infrastructure financing agreement.
  • Represented major financial institution and related entities in New York County Commercial Division proceeding alleging fraud and breach of contract in connection with an asset purchase agreement.
  • Representing Santander Securities in adversary proceeding in connection with Title III bankruptcy proceedings for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico relating to underwriting practices on government bonds.
  • Representing Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies in MDL national and statewide class actions asserting antitrust claims.
  • Representing major health plan in ERISA dispute regarding alleged breach of fiduciary duties in connection with self-funded benefit plan.
  • Represented hedge fund in obtaining successful resolution of New York County Commercial Division lawsuit alleging business torts and breach of share repurchase agreement.
  • Represented an international financial institution in multiple complex commercial contract disputes in New York state courts.
  • Represented major food company in nationwide class action alleging false advertising in the Southern District of New York.
  • Represented former Head of Global Securitized Asset Trading at an international financial institution in a civil DOJ action alleging fraud in the structuring and sale of residential mortgage-backed securities brought in the Eastern District of New York.
  • Represented a securities rating agency in multiple litigations alleging fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and breach of fiduciary duty in connection with its ratings on structured finance securities.
  • Defended an insurance carrier in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) class action in the Southern District of New York.
  • Represented an international financial institution in action alleging breach of fiduciary duty in connection with mutual fund investment management.

Sarah's Insights

Publication | 01.10.23

Consumer Class Actions Expand into New Sectors

With the number of class action suits quadrupling over the past five years, cases now include the advertising of any category of consumer goods.