About Sarah Duggan
Sarah practices employment law because she’s passionate about being an advocate for people who have faced hardships in the workplace. She understands the power imbalances between employer and employee and seeks to align the goals for both. Sarah’s deep connection with employment law motivated her to go to law school. Sarah has personally been through the charge of discrimination process. Sarah navigated the process alone and without legal help. Now she hopes to make sure her clients never have to feel alone.
During law school Sarah was president of two organizations: Midwest Innocence Project Student Organization and Board of Barrister’s. As the president of the Board of Barrister’s Sarah mentored younger law students in developing their trial skills and hosting them in competitions. Because of her work helping innocent prisoners with their post-conviction remedies and representing indigent criminal defendants she was awarded the Houdek Pro Bono Legal Services award for completing the most pro bono hours of her entire graduating class. Sarah participated in UMKC’s mock trial team as they fought their way to National competitions after ranking number 1 regionally. Throughout Sarah’s law school career, she was a legal clerk for many different organizations to expand her legal knowledge. Sarah has interned for employment law firms, criminal defense firms, civil defense firms, and at the public defender’s office in the capital division. One of the most educational and rewarding clerkships Sarah participated in was being a legal clerk for the Honorable Judge Bough of the Western District of Missouri.
Prior to law school Sarah was a police officer who graduated in the top of her 223rd Basic Training Academy class of the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center. Being a police officer gave Sarah a unique perspective on how the police systems work and helped her recognize the need for reform. She was able to see, from the inside, the deeply misguided and antiquated policing procedures and policies. Sarah’s law school thesis covered the topic of reforming police. Because of this experience she is an excellent advocate for individuals facing civil rights issues regarding police. Prior to policing she’s worked in the service industry; totaling 15 years. She held positions ranging from dishwasher to general manager. She is now just as passionate about representing service industry workers in their employment needs.
After law school Sarah began working for the City of Kansas City Missouri in their Corporate Litigation Department. At the City Sarah focused on employment, tort, and contract claims from a defense perspective. Taking a year to work civil issues from the defense perspective gave Sarah the tools to help her clients understand the full scope of litigation they may be facing.
