Sara McDonough

Clients describe Shareholder Sara McDonough as “extremely helpful and responsive” and an “excellent and succinct writer.”

Sara (she/her) is known for her compelling written arguments and collected demeanor.  She is calm under pressure and won’t be intimidated by the bullying tactics of her opponents.  Above all, she is fiercely loyal to her clients and committed to protecting their interests.  Sara believes that a strong client-attorney relationship is based on trust and honesty.  Her goal is to provide candid and objective legal advice so that her clients can make informed decisions.

Sara represents federal government clients in disciplinary proceedings and in cases before administrative agencies such as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).  She is equally at home representing clients in state and federal court litigation.  She has obtained favorable settlements and outcomes in matters involving a wide variety of employment issues, including discrimination, sexual harassment, reprisal, whistleblowing, due process, and wage and hour violations.  Sara has represented clients in several notable cases, including one that resulted in a substantial jury verdict.  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit affirmed the judgment and $555,000 award in favor of our client.

As a student at the University of Richmond Law School, Sara’s studies focused on employment law and employment discrimination law.  She had an externship at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and interned with the Disability Law Center of Virginia (formerly Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy), an organization that advocates and provides legal services for persons with disabilities.

Prior to law school, Sara worked as a consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton.  She helped develop and implement communications strategies and products for several large federal government clients, including the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and TRICARE, a U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System program.

Published Works

“INSIGHT: LGBT Rights in the Federal Workplace – Mixed Messages on Discrimination,” Bloomberg Law (March 5, 2019). 

“The Pregnancy Discrimination Act and Requests for Light Duty, Leave, and Related Accommodations,” The American Bar Association (August 31, 2017).