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NJL People: Sarah B. Riskin

Sarah B. Riskin

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Sarah defends employers in single plaintiff litigation, private class actions, and administrative proceedings. Her clients can always rely on her to be responsive, creative, and practical when helping solve their legal problems. Sarah truly enjoys partnering with her clients and finding innovative ways to resolve problems with an eye towards minimizing business disruption.

Sarah also recognizes that some matters are best resolved through trial, and she has successfully defended clients to defense verdicts in arbitration and in state and federal court. Sarah has a natural aptitude for trial; after her first day in her first arbitration, the client and first-chair partner remarked that they had just watched a trial lawyer being born.

In addition to litigation, Sarah advises and counsels clients proactively, conducting internal investigations and working to prevent disputes before they arise. She works with a wide array of clients, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small nonprofit organizations.

When not working, Sarah spends time with her wife and three kids enjoying the Minneapolis park system, particularly the bike trails and waterfalls at Minnehaha Park. She also played music and dabbled in photography, before law school and children stifled the right side of her brain.

Key Practice Experience

Key Industry Experience

  • Retail and eCommerce
  • Transportation and Transportation Logistics
  • Banking
  • Nonprofits
  • Energy Services
  • Health Care

Representative Matters

Litigation

  • Lansdale v. UPS (D. Minn.): Won a complete defense verdict on five claims under the ADA and Minnesota Human Rights Act (disability discrimination) following a nearly three-week jury trial
  • Just v. Target Corporation (D. Minn.): Won dismissal of a stand-alone disclosure claim under the Fair Credit Reporting Act
  • Hussey v. DeafBlind Services of Minnesota (Minn. State Court): Won dismissal of breach of contract claim
  • Peterson v. UPS (Minn. State Court): Won summary judgment on a breach of contract claim (Section 301 preemption)
  • Spiger v. UPS (South Dakota State Court): Won a defense verdict on claim for unpaid wages following two-day bench trial
  • Walz v. UPS (D. Ne.): Obtained finding that claim for unpaid vacation was preempted under the LMRA, resulting in denial of motion for remand and subsequent voluntary dismissal

Arbitration

  • Defended Fortune 15 company against disability discrimination and FMLA retaliation claims before the AAA. Prevailed on all claims following nine-day arbitration.
  • Defended Fortune 500 company against age discrimination and harassment claims before the AAA. Obtained partial summary judgment before resolving remaining claim.

Recognitions and Honors

  • Selected to Minnesota Rising Stars list, 2014-2018
  • Class of 2008 Excellence in Public Service Award
  • Matt Stark 2008 Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Student Award

Publications and Presentations

  • How #MeToo is Impacting Employment Law Today (October 2018) (CLE Panel Presentation)
  • Leaders Impacting the Nonprofit Community (LINC), “Employment Law for Nonprofits” (March 2018) (CLE Presentation)
  • “Liability Releases for Background Checks Are Unlawful,” The Corporate Counselor (April 2017)
  • Gender Identity in the Workplace: Emerging Employment Law Issues (January 2017) (CLE presentation with Jen Cornell)
  • Leaders Impacting the Nonprofit Community (LINC), “Employment Law for Nonprofits” (March 2016) (CLE Presentation)
  • “Communicable Diseases: What’s an Employer to Do?”, The Corporate Counselor (May 2015) (co-authored with Veena Iyer and Elizabeth Winchell)
  • “The Changing Landscape of Marriage Equality: From Ballot Box to Supreme Court,” ABA Young Lawyers Division 2013 Spring Conference (CLE Presentation)
  •  “The Minnesota Marriage Amendment: History, Process, and Effect” (CLE Presentation)
  • “Unfair Trade Practices,” Minnesota Business Torts Desktop – Chapter 6 (2013 Update) (co-author with Haley N. Schaffer)
  • “New Law: Key Litigation Updates,” Minnesota CLE (September 2010)

Professional Associations

  • Minnesota Lavender Bar Association – Co-chair, 2014-2016; Board Member, 2011 to 2017; Member, 2008-present
  •  Minnesota Women Lawyers, Member 2008 to present

Community Engagement

  • Volunteer attorney, Children’s Law Center
  • Founder, Raise the Bar: Day of Service, University of Minnesota Law School
  • Volunteer attorney, Volunteer Lawyers Network
  • Volunteer attorney, Advocates for Human Rights

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