Sarah E. Pruett

Sarah Pruett represents clients in complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on defending financial institutions and businesses in consumer finance litigation and government investigations and examinations. She regularly represents clients in litigation involving the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), the Equal Credit Opportunities Act (ECOA), Title X of the Dodd-Frank Act (UDAAP), and state consumer protection laws. Sarah also assists clients facing examinations and investigations regulators, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Representative Matters

• Obtained favorable outcome for a large corporation in defending a putative class action asserting novel consumer protection and fraud claims pertaining to deferred interest
• Defended a bank against RICO claims related to online lending
• Defended claims of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty against an investment management company
• Represents multiple banks and financial services companies in responding to civil investigative demands issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Trade Commission in areas including auto finance, short-term lending, and payment processing
• Represented an insurance client in obtaining successful verdict in jury trial involving non-compete, breach of contract, and trade secrets claims
• Advises financial services companies in complying with state and federal consumer finance laws
• Obtained a successful defense verdict for a manufacturing company in a jury trial involving a foreign sales agent's multimillion-dollar claims
• Represented a corporation in pursuing enforcement of non-compete agreements
• Represented an accounting firm in nationwide discrimination class action dispute

Professional Activities

Minnesota Bar Association, Member

American Bar Association, Member

Federal Bar Association, Member

Publications

Co-author, "PA DOL Proposes Significant Changes to Overtime Exemptions," Ballard Spahr alert, June 29, 2018

Speaking Engagements

Presenter, "Overview of Federal Employment Laws," Minnesota Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators Certified Legal Manager Study Group, May 16, 2018

2017 Employment Law Seminar: "A Time of Change," Complimentary Seminar, October, 2017

Cornell Law School (J.D., cum laude, 2012)
Notes Editor, Cornell Law Review, 2012

Grinnell College (B.A., 2007)

Minnesota

New York

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota