Commercial litigator · Appellate advocate · Utah & Colorado
Meet Sarah Elizabeth Spencer
AV-rated trial and appellate counsel trusted by business leaders for crisis litigation, Business & Chancery Court strategy, and CADRA cyberattack recovery across Utah, Colorado, and federal venues.
Experience
20+ years
Commercial trials, injunctions, and appellate advocacy
Admissions
Utah · Colorado
U.S. Supreme Court & multiple federal circuit courts
Focus
Business litigation
CADRA, Business & Chancery Court, appellate preservation
Admissions
- Utah (2006)
- Colorado (2004)
- U.S. Supreme Court
- Multiple federal circuit courts of appeal
Direct contact
- Direct: 801-346-8086
- Mobile: 801-503-8125
- Office: 801-346-8120
- Email: sarah@spencerwillsonpllc.com
Practice focus
- Commercial & business litigation
- Appellate advocacy
- Business and Chancery Court matters
- CADRA and cybersecurity litigation
Commercial litigation & appellate advocacy
Sarah Elizabeth Spencer Willson is a commercial litigator and appellate advocate licensed in Utah and Colorado with direct admission to the U.S. Supreme Court and multiple federal circuit courts. Two decades of courtroom leadership shape her approach to complex disputes that require decisive action in the first days and relentless preparation through appeal.
- Integrates Business & Chancery Court strategy, CADRA recovery, and traditional commercial litigation for multi-venue disputes.
- Guides executives through emergency relief, TROs, and injunction hearings to preserve leverage while the case develops.
- Translates dense discovery and financial models into courtroom narratives and executive briefings that drive decision making.
As lead appellate counsel, Sarah has briefed dozens of appeals stemming from interlocutory orders, preliminary injunctions, Section 1983 qualified immunity rulings, admiralty disputes, and commercial verdicts. Her command of records exceeding tens of thousands of pages keeps issues preserved and positions clients for negotiated resolutions or remand success.
- Prepares preservation memoranda, appellate risk assessments, and board-ready reporting for corporate stakeholders.
- Coordinates amicus strategy for trade groups and industry coalitions to reinforce dispositive issues on appeal.
- Presents on appellate advocacy, ethics, and litigation strategy, reflecting lifelong dedication to legal writing and scholarship.
Practice coverage
Commercial Litigation
High-stakes commercial litigation for Utah and Colorado companies handling contract risk, injunctions, and business disputes through trial and appeal.
Explore Commercial LitigationAppellate Advocacy
Civil appeals that protect trial wins, overturn adverse rulings, and position interlocutory orders for strategic resolution.
Explore Appellate AdvocacyBreach of Contract Disputes
Representation for contract litigation, lost profits claims, executive compensation conflicts, and urgent injunctive relief.
Explore Breach of Contract DisputesFiduciary Duty & Corporate Governance
Counseling boards and managers through fiduciary duty litigation, shareholder remedies, governance investigations, and Business and Chancery Court proceedings.
Explore Fiduciary Duty & Corporate GovernanceFraud & Business Torts
Fraud matters, business torts, and unfair competition suits supported by intensive evidentiary analysis across complex discovery sets.
Explore Fraud & Business TortsTrust & Agency Conflicts
Litigation counsel for trust, agency, and partnership conflicts involving succession plans and fiduciary performance.
Explore Trust & Agency ConflictsReal Property Disputes
Utah real property litigation including boundary disputes, partition actions, water rights, lien priority fights, and quiet title matters.
Explore Real Property DisputesInsurance Coverage & Bad Faith
Coverage analysis, bad-faith litigation, and insurer defense in commercial indemnity matters and catastrophic loss disputes.
Explore Insurance Coverage & Bad FaithFederal Civil Rights (Section 1983)
Section 1983 qualified immunity litigation for municipalities, executives, and high-profile constitutional cases.
Explore Federal Civil Rights (Section 1983)Admiralty & Maritime Law
Admiralty and maritime appeals, vessel finance disputes, and insurance coverage battles impacting interstate commerce.
Explore Admiralty & Maritime LawWork with Sarah
Request an executive litigation consult
- Share pleadings, agency filings, or digital access records for immediate assessment.
- Receive a litigation roadmap outlining forum strategy, emergency relief, and trial posture within one business day.
- Coordinate with forensic, valuation, and appellate teams to align trial and appellate leverage from day one.
Signature matters & representative work
Representative work
Emergency noncompete TROs & restrictive covenant litigation
Secured injunctions and negotiated standstill agreements to protect enterprise trade secrets and executive transitions.
Learn more →Representative work
Utah Wage Claim Act & Labor Commission defense
Defended wage claims, overtime disputes, and alleged misclassification proceedings before the Utah Labor Commission.
Learn more →Representative work
Business & Chancery Court CADRA cyberattack recovery
Litigating CADRA actions involving Google Business Profile lockouts, insider access abuse, and ransomware remediation.
Learn more →Representative work
Elias v. SecurityNational Financial (3rd District, Utah)
Obtained summary judgment in a discriminatory-termination suit, establishing Utah Antidiscrimination Act preemption.
Learn more →Representative work
Public policy & separation agreement enforcement
Tried and enforced separation agreements, whistleblower protections, and fiduciary governance remedies for executives.
Learn more →Featured insights & resources
Professional experience
Timeline
Sarah blends boutique agility with decades of big-case leadership. Each role below contributes to the trial-ready and appellate-first mentality that drives Spencer Willson PLLC.
- January 2024 – Present
Spencer Willson, PLLC — President, Co-Founder & Managing Attorney
Leading a courtroom-first business litigation and appellate boutique handling commercial trials, Business and Chancery Court proceedings, and emergency injunction work across Utah and Colorado.
- 2007 – December 2023
Christensen & Jensen, P.C. — Vice-President, Shareholder & Director
Directed complex litigation teams, defended Fortune 500 and regional businesses, and briefed high-impact appeals in state and federal courts.
- 2006 – 2007
Utah State Courts, Administrative Office of the Courts — Judicial Law Clerk
Supported statewide judiciary initiatives and research projects for the Administrative Office of the Courts.
- 2004 – 2005
Colorado Judicial Branch, Second Judicial District — Judicial Law Clerk
Clerked for district court judges in Denver, assisting with civil, criminal, and appellate matters.
Awards & honors
Professional involvement & leadership
DRI: Lawyers Representing Business
Sarah is the outgoing chair of DRI's Appellate Advocacy Committee and remains active in national policy work for the country's largest association of civil defense attorneys and in-house counsel.
- Outgoing Chair, Appellate Advocacy Committee (2021-2024)
- Committee Member, Appellate Advocacy Committee (2008-present)
- Member, Amicus Committee, Center for Law and Public Policy (2021-present)
- Member, State Legislation & Rules Task Force, Center for Law and Public Policy (2023-present)
- Young Lawyers Committee Leader (2008-2015)
- Presenter and moderator for national DRI programming
Utah State Bar
Within the Utah bar, Sarah serves on leadership bodies guiding appellate practice and unauthorized practice of law enforcement.
- Executive Committee Member, Appellate Practice Section (2006-present)
- Section Chair, Appellate Practice Section (2017-2018)
- Represents Utah State Bar in Unauthorized Practice of Law enforcement litigation
- Former Co-Chair, Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee (2012-2015)
- Young Lawyers Division leader and co-chair of the 2009 Summer Convention
Education
University of Denver Sturm College of Law, J.D. (2004)
Graduated at age 21 — the youngest graduate of record as of 2004.
- Staff Editor, University of Denver International Law Journal
- Member, ABA traveling trial team
- American Jurisprudence Award, Advanced Civil Procedure (2003)
- 1L First Place Finalist, Barrister's Cup Appellate Advocacy Competition (2002)
Metropolitan State University of Denver, B.A. (1999)
Graduated at age 16 — youngest graduate of record as of 1999.
- Psi Chi, Psychology National Honor Society
Speaking, writing & CLE presentations
Sarah teaches appellate advocacy, Business & Chancery Court strategy, ethics, and litigation skills across national and Utah-based forums. Recent engagements include:
Client feedback
“Sarah is an amazing attorney. She did such a skillful job on my case. If you need a smart, hard-working, and creative lawyer, I highly recommend Sarah Elizabeth Spencer.”
Google (5.0 Rating)
“Sarah is highly recommended. She represents our company in a complex case with a judge who struggles to understand the concepts involved. She's not afraid to dig in and fight.”
Best Lawyers
“Sarah did an amazing job representing me in an insurance case. She was prompt, available, and fought hard for me.”
Avvo
“Sarah was a pleasure to work with. Her knowledge of contract law and court procedures was perfect for our needs and she secured a six-digit recovery quickly.”
Lawyers.com
“Sarah Elizabeth Spencer offered a wonderful experience. She was extremely knowledgeable, offered great support, and I was very happy with the result.”
Yelp
Personal background
Sarah is a Colorado native. After law school she completed judicial clerkships and practiced at a mid-size firm in Denver before relocating to Utah in 2005. She lives north of Salt Lake City with her husband and three children. Away from court filings she enjoys skiing Utah's champagne powder, staying abreast of current events, wind tunnel flying (indoor skydiving), skydiving, and cooking.
Ready to connect?
Call, email, or schedule a consultation to discuss commercial litigation, appellate strategy, CADRA cyberattack recovery, or complex business disputes. Sarah responds within one business day to urgent litigation inquiries.