Attorneys
Sara Jane ShanahanPartner
Sara Jane Shanahan is chair of the firm’s Litigation Department and co-chair of the Business Litigation Practice Group. Her practice focuses on complex business litigation and insurance coverage disputes. Sara represents a variety of clients such as hedge funds and investment managers, generic pharmaceutical manufacturers, national retailers, insurers, insureds, shareholders of closely-held corporations and officers and directors of public corporations.
Prior to joining the firm in December 2008, Sara was partner at Griesinger, Tighe, & Maffei, LLP and junior partner at Hale and Dorr LLP. After law school, Sara clerked for the Hon. Nathaniel M. Gorton, U.S. District Judge for the District of Massachusetts.
Expand All
Representative Experience
- Hedge funds and the investment manager with regard to claims against their third party administrator
- National retailer in arbitration and litigation with third party business brokers
- Hospital patent-owner in licensing dispute with medical device manufacturer
- Generic drug manufacturers in False Claims Act and products liability litigation
- Insurers and insureds in complex insurance coverage disputes
- Minority shareholders in closely-held corporations regarding breach of fiduciary duty and voting trust claims
- Homeowners in arbitrations regarding construction disputes
- Successfully obtained summary judgment on securities fraud claims for defendant; Federal District Court denied plaintiffs’ motion for class certification
- Internet operating and development company prevailing on all claims in two week jury trial regarding insurance coverage
Speaking Engagements And Publications
- “Unexpected Liabilities and Exposures,” panelist, MCLE 17th Annual Business Litigation Conference, February 2018
- “Bad Faith Claims Handling – G.L. c. 93A and G.L. c. 176D,” Massachusetts Liability Insurance Manual 2017, chap. 13, 3rd edition, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc., 2017
- “5 Risk Management Practices Innovators Should Follow,” Xconomy.com October 2015
- “Evidence: Strategic Considerations for Summary Judgment and Trial”, Boston Bar Association Panel, January 2015
- “Social Media: When to use it, When to Lose it – The Legal Implications of Social Media for Law Firms and Clients,” Women in E Discovery Panel, June 2014
- “Avoiding Expensive Litigation after the Deal is Done,” Massachusetts Family Business, July 2013
- “Service providers should review their own contracts” Boston Business Journal, June 2013
- “Cornwell ruling a warning to investment managers,” Boston Business Journal, March 2013
- “Cornwell’s $50M Jury Award Wake-Up Call For Advisors,” Private Wealth Magazine, February 2013
- “Cyberbullying and Social Media Misuse: Prevention and Response,” Magna Online Seminars, August 2012
- “RE and Social Media: A Legal Perspective,” The Real Reporter, July 2012
- “Social Networking Policies: Mitigating Risks and Reaping Rewards,” ALM General Counsel Conference, June 2012
- “How to Protect Your Students from Cyberbullying,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 2012
- “Why You Should Protect Your Employees’ Twitter Accounts,” CFO, December 2011
- “Social Media Policies and Practices Your Company Can ‘Like’,” moderator, New England Legal Foundation Fall Breakfast Program, October 2011
- “Privacy and Privilege When Communicating With Clients Via Email,” speaker, Boston Bar Association Luncheon, October 2011
- “Slow the Trigger When Firing Over Twitter,” CFO, September 2011
- “Litigation Potluck: How to Avoid Litigation and How to Manage It Effectively If You Can’t,” panelist, Association of Corporate Counsel Northeast Chapter, July 2011
- “Preparing Your Company for Social Media Challenges,” panelist, 23rd Annual Corporate Counsel Conference East Coast, June 2011
- “To Preserve and Protect: Warding Off Wiki-Like Attacks,” Corporate Counsel, January 2011
- “Directors Urged to Submit Comment to SEC on Whistleblower Provisions,” with Jason Drori, Corporate Board Member, December 2010
- “Warding Off Shareholder Derivative Suits: Diligence and Faithfulness Are the Keys,” Corporate Counsel, August 2010
- “Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Decision Supports Public’s Rights in the Waterfront,” Sherin and Lodgen LLP Client Advisory, August 2010
- “Looking Inward,” Corporate Counsel, June 2010
- “One Size Does Not Fit All: Approaches to Internal Investigations,” speaker, Association of Corporate Counsel Northeast Chapter, March 2010
- “Conflicting Decisions Lead to Uncertainty for Massachusetts Companies and Auditors Alike,” SumNews, Winter 2009
- “View from Both Sides of the Bench,” introduction, Boston Bar Association, January 2009
- “Tensions are rising from IRS victory in Textron case,” WebCPA.com, November 2009
- “Another View: The Eroding Attorney-Client Privilege,” The New York Times DealBook, November 2009
- “Director and Officer Liability in the Aftermath of Fraud,” Suffolk University Law School Seminar, May 2009
- “Attorney-Client Privilege for In-House Counsel,” client seminar, April 2009
- “How Private is that Email to the Contract Attorney in Mumbai? Attorney-Client Privilege in the 21st Century,” with Edward S. Cheng, Association of Corporate Counsel Northeast Chapter, February 2009
- “Bad Faith Claims Handling – G.L. c. 93A and G.L. c. 176D,” Massachusetts Liability Insurance Manual 2009 Supplement, chap. 14, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, 2004, 2009
Community Involvement
- Boston Bar Foundation Society of Fellows
- Girl Scouts Troop Leader, 2011 – 2016
- Co-Service Unit Coordinator, 2016 – 2018
- Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice
- Board of Directors
- The New England Legal Foundation
- Massachusetts Advisory Council
- member
- Massachusetts Advisory Council
- The Wellesley Club
- Secretary, 2014 – 2018
- Town of Wellesley, Massachusetts
- Hardy, Hunnewell and Upham (HHU) Master Plan Committee, Co-chair, 2016 – 2017
- HHU Master Plan Committee Final Report, Co-author, March 2017
Memberships
- Boston Bar Foundation Society of Fellows
- Boston Bar Association
- Council, Member, elected to serve three year term, Fall 2013 – Summer 2016
- Administration of Justice Section
- Co-chair, Fall 2011 – Summer 2014
- Member, 2009-2014
- Joint Bar Committee on Judicial Appointments
- Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
- Women’s Bar Association
- Women’s Leadership Initiative, 2017-2018
Related News
November 20, 2018 
Events
Events
Sherin and Lodgen sponsors Girls on the Run Sneaker Soiree
October 25, 2018 Events
Events
Sara Jane Shanahan attends the Litigation Counsel of America 2018 Fall Conference and Celebration of Fellows
October 19, 2018 News
Read More
News
31 Sherin and Lodgen attorneys named Massachusetts Super Lawyers
Education
Accolades
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America©
- Included in Massachusetts Super Lawyers
- Top 50 Women in Law
- Top 100 New England
- Perlman Service Award from the fellows of the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA)