Sarah is a member of the Casualty Department where she focuses her practice in the areas of general commercial liability, including premises liability and residential group home liability. As managing shareholder of the Wilmington office, Sarah oversees the day-to-day operations for the entire office, ensuring that client matters are handled promptly, professionally and effectively. She also serves on the firm's Board of Directors.
For the past decade, Sarah has defended hundreds of clients in the defense of personal injury litigation in the Delaware courts, with many cases tried successfully to verdict. In addition, she has defended clients in insurance coverage disputes as well as property damage litigation.
As a member of the Fraud/Special Investigative Unit (SIU) Litigation Practice Group, Sarah continues to develop her skills litigating and investigating claims of insurance fraud. She also has experience handling PIP disputes throughout the state of Delaware on behalf of our clients.
Sarah graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She received her juris doctorate from the University of Maryland in 2005. During law school, Sarah was an intern with the Delaware Court of Chancery. After graduation, Sarah served as a law clerk to the Honorable Arlene Minus Coppadge and the Honorable Robert B. Coonin.
After her clerkship, Sarah went into private practice at a civil defense litigation firm where she successfully defended individuals and businesses in many jury trials in the Delaware Superior Court.
Sarah is active with local animal welfare organizations in Delaware, including the Delaware Humane Association and Faithful Friends Animal Society.
Honors & Awards
•The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation - Insurance (2023-2026)
•Top Lawyer, Tort Law, Delaware Today (November 2024)
Classes/Seminars Taught
•New Jersey Contractual Indemnity and Additional Insured Issues, Zurich Insurance, April 2015
Media Commentary
•'What Del.'s Legal Leaders Are Keeping an Eye on For '24,' Law360, January 4, 2024
Results
Defense Jury Verdict Obtained Before the Delaware Superior Court
We received a defense jury verdict before the Delaware Superior Court, New Castle County. Although liability was undisputed at trial, damages were disputed. The plaintiff sought damages for head, neck, back and left shoulder injuries. He had $350,000 in future medical bills and $78,000 in past medical bills that he could board. The plaintiff also had a $5 million lost wage claim that we were able to get dismissed prior to trial on a motion in limine.
Marshall Dennehey Attorneys Successfully Argue Before the Delaware Supreme Court.
Following oral argument heard en banc, the Delaware Supreme Court issued an opinion upholding the application of the Continuing Storm Doctrine, resulting in the affirmation of the lower court’s decision to grant summary judgment to our client.
Thought Leadership
Defense Digest
On the Pulse...Working In the “First State” - Spotlight on Wilmington
March 1, 2024
Wilmington, Delaware, is small but mighty. It is a city on the upswing and a great place to practice law. Many companies choose to incorporate in Delaware and, as a result, the courts and litigators keep plenty busy with disputes that originate in and out of the state. The Delaware office of Marshall Dennehey opened in 1995 and, since that time, has represented clients in casualty, professional liability, workers’ compensation, and medical malpractice matters. For the first 25-plus years of its existence, this office was led by Kevin Connors, who maintains a busy practice to this day. During his tenure, the office grew to roughly 20 attorneys in the firm’s four major departments. Our Wilmington office maintains a robust practice throughout all three counties in the state. The strength of the Delaware office is in its people. The office, like the firm itself, makes a commitment to each person who joins us to provide apprenticeship, guidance, comradery, and support. We want people to succeed here, and we are committed to their advancement. If you were to walk down the hallways of our office, you would see open doors, friendly faces (for the most part), some odd artwork, and fantasy football draft posters. You will also likely come across our main kitchen and probably find some donuts and a vending machine that works fairly well. Most importantly though, you will find a welcoming atmosphere that serves as the foundation for our firm’s and our office’s success. The attorneys in our office have a few time-honored traditions, most notably, the annual Crab Trip. Every June, attorneys board a bus (hopefully equipped with a bathroom) and make the journey down to Leipsic, Delaware, for an afternoon of crabs, hush puppies, fried-everything, and Prairie Fires. The bus then usually takes a meandering route back to Wilmington, stopping at various well-heeled establishments along the way. It is on this trip that bonds are formed and friendships are solidified. We are a team, and we enjoy each others company.The Wilmington office is growing, both with the type of litigation work we take on and the attorneys who come on board. We added a new shareholder and three associates in all four litigation departments in the last two years and hope to add more in 2024. The future is bright. We welcome you as well and invite you to come and visit. Feel free to bring donuts.*Sarah is a shareholder and the managing attorney of our Wilmington, Delaware, office. She can be reached at (302) 552-4364 or [email protected]. Defense Digest, Vol. 30, No. 1, March 2024, is prepared by Marshall Dennehey to provide information on recent legal developments of interest to our readers. This publication is not intended to provide legal advice for a specific situation or to create an attorney-client relationship. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING pursuant to New York RPC 7.1. 2024 Marshall Dennehey. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be reprinted without the express written permission of our firm. For reprints, contact [email protected]. Defense Digest, Vol. 30, No. 1, March 2024
News
Sarah B. Cole Elected to Membership in The American Board of Trial Advocates
February 5, 2026
98 Marshall Dennehey Attorneys Recognized in the 2026 Editions of The Best Lawyers in America and the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America
August 20, 2025
AV Preeminent®: The highest peer rating standard. This rating signifies a large number of the lawyer’s peers rank him
or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards.
Distinguished: An excellent rating for a lawyer with some experience. This rating indicates the attorney is widely
respected by their peers for high professional achievement and ethical standards.
Notable: This rating indicates that the lawyer has been recognized by a large number of their peers for strong ethical standards.
