Related Information
Education
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Vanderbilt University Law School
J.D. 1990
Vanderbilt Bar Association, Vice President; Public Interest Fund Award recipient
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Tulane University
B.A., cum laude, 1985
American Studies with concentration in Political Science
American University, Public Administration, Washington semester program, Spring 1984
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Miami University
B.A. 1981-82
Dean's List
Admissions
Kentucky
Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar)
U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
Service Areas
- Toxic Tort & Environmental Defense
- Business Litigation
- Commercial Disputes - Contracts and Business Torts
- Complex / Large Litigation
- Civil Litigation
- Multi-State, Multi-District and Serial Litigation
- Antitrust, Consumer Protection & Attorney General Defense
- Product Liability
- Professional Liability (Non-Medical Professionals)
- Torts & Insurance Practice
- Class Action, Mass Action & Multi-District Litigation
- Clinical Research, Clinical Trials and Products Liability Counsel
- Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, and Healthcare Litigation
Industry Experience
- Insurance Carriers/Brokers/Agents
- Pharmaceutical / Medical Devices
- Chemical & Allied Products / Plastics
- Automotive & Manufacturing Facilities
Memberships
- American Bar Association, Section of Litigation (Products Liability and Mass Torts Committees); 2012 Environmental, Mass Torts and Products Liability Litigation Committees' Joint CLE Seminar, co-chair
- Defense Research Institute (DRI), Drug and Device Subcommittee
- International Association of Defense Counsel
- National Association of Women Lawyers
- Women Lawyer's Association of Jefferson County
- Women's Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI), Former Board Member and Corresponding Secretary; Former Chair of WILPOWER, the WBAI Political Action Committee
Community Involvement
- Stage One Family Theatre, Chair of Board of Directors
- St. Matthews Fire Protection District, Board of Trustees
- Emerge Kentucky Graduate, Class of 2011
Drawing on her twenty-plus years experience, Sarah Grider Cronan offers creative and strategic approaches to complex problems confronting both her individual and corporate clients. Sarah’s practice focuses on the defense of product liability, toxic tort, insurance coverage, bad faith, environmental, and commercial disputes. She also advises businesses concerning risk management, insurance, employment, regulatory and corporate matters. Sarah treats every challenge as an opportunity to achieve cost-effective solutions, using early case assessments, alternative fee arrangements, and committed resolve. Sarah has tried cases in state and federal courts and is knowledgeable about multi-district litigation and the management of mass and class actions. She is listed in Kentucky Super Lawyers magazine for 2012.
Noteworthy Assignments
- Reduced company’s pending litigation from 35 to 2 cases in less than a year through mediation, settlement and dispositive motions
- Mediated and settled, for a fraction of the demand, a pre-litigation dispute involving professional liability claims against insurer and former agent
- Obtained dismissal/summary judgment of claims against manufacturers on personal jurisdiction, statute of limitations, product identification/exposure, and preemption grounds
- Secured defense verdicts for product liability clients, including medical device company and boat manufacturer following jury trial alleging product defects
Recent Presentations and Articles
- Predictability in Punitive Damages: Considering the Use of Punitive Damage Multipliers, 79 IADC DEF. COUNS. J. 4, 454-464
- Presenter: "Punitive Damage Multipliers in Mass and Class Actions," July 2012 IADC Annual Meeting
- "State Constitutional Bans on Punitive Damages," 2012 IADC Products Liability Newsletter
- Kentucky Chapter, Plaintiff's Medical Care and Treatment - Discovery and Evidentiary Issues, 50 State Survey, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Products Liability
- "Food Law Update," Stites & Harbison, PLLC, Thirsty Thursday: Food Safety Modernization Act
- “Demystifying the MDL Process,” ABA Chemical Products and Mass Torts Regional CLE, Houston, TX
- “Reaching Resolution: Utilizing Multi-District Litigation Beyond Pretrial Proceedings”
- "Determining Trial Structure for Complex Litigation," ABA Products Liability Newsletter
- Kentucky and Georgia chapters, Federal Jurisdiction Based Upon Removal: A 50-State Survey (an ABA Practice Essentials Book)
- “David vs. Goliath: Jurors’ Perceptions of Trial Lawyers and Their Clients,” Mass, Class or Pass—Making Strategic Decisions in the Big Chemical Case, ABA Regional CLE, Wilmington, DE
- “Rule 30(b)(6) Depositions: Strategies for Deposing and Defending the Corporation,” ABA Environmental, Mass Torts and Products Liability Joint CLE Seminar, Snowmass, CO
- “Should I Google the Jury? And Other Ethical Considerations for the Modern Trial Lawyer”
- “Investigative Ethics 2007: What, Where, How, When and Who Should Investigate Personal Injury Claims,” ABA Pharma Regional CLE, Nutley, NJ
- “Ethical Considerations for Trial Lawyers” Women in Products Liability, ABA Regional CLE, Las Vegas, NV
Before Stites & Harbison
Before joining Stites & Harbison, Sarah practiced law in Chicago at Cassiday, Schade & Gloor (1998 to 2002), Burditt & Radizus, Chtd. (1995 to 1998) and Peterson & Ross (1990 to 1995).
Besides Stites & Harbison
In her free time, Sarah enjoys traveling, golfing, cooking and spending time with her family.