Sarah A. Hemmendinger

SARAH HEMMENDINGER focuses on securities and shareholder litigation, antitrust litigation, and ERISA class actions. She primarily represents clients in the life sciences, technology, and clean energy spaces. Sarah is an author of Sidley’s annual review and analysis of developments in securities litigation in the life sciences sector, a resource used by in-house counsel, insurers and securities litigators.

Sarah also maintains an active pro bono practice. She has represented a Tibetan monk in asylum proceedings for nearly eight years, including arguing before the Ninth Circuit. Sarah was also a key member of a trial team that successfully litigated claims on behalf of a California taxpayer against the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), establishing that the DMV’s policies on disclosure of non-conviction arrests violates drivers’ privacy rights.

Prior to joining Sidley, Sarah served as a law clerk to the Honorable James C. Cacheris of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. She also served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Richard D. Bennett of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.

Sarah received her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she served on the articles review committee of the Virginia Law & Business Review. Sarah received her A.B. in history from Princeton University where she was a recipient of the Daily Princetonian Donald Clive Stuart, Jr. ’35 Award for excellence in business.

Sarah’s representative matters include:

Securities litigation and SEC investigations.

• Represented SunEdison’s officers and directors in multidistrict litigation in the Southern District of New York, including shareholder class actions, individual investor actions, and ERISA class actions.
• Represents Bloom Energy and its officers and directors in securities litigation in the Northern District of California arising out of the company’s IPO, and won dismissal of Section 10(b) claims in their entirety, and Section 11 claims in large part, including claims related to financial reporting.
• Represents McKesson Corporation and its officers in securities litigation in the Northern District of California arising out of allegations of price fixing in generic drugs.
• Represented McKesson’s officers and directors in related derivative litigation and won dismissal on demand futility grounds.
• Represents Tricida, Inc. and its CEO in securities litigation in the Northern District of California related to disclosures regarding the company’s drug candidate.
• Represented a technology company in an SEC investigation regarding disclosure issues.

Antitrust and competition litigation.

• Represented an electronics company in a FRAND-based antitrust case in the Northern District of New York, and prevailed on a motion to dismiss.
• Represented a consumer services company in a monopolization case in the Northern District of California and defeated class certification.
• Represents a pharmaceutical company in a Lanham Act, false advertising, unfair competition and breach of contract case pending in the District of New Jersey.