Attorney Sarah Mugmon

Sarah has extensive client counseling and severance negotiation experience involving workplace disputes and other various employment-related matters. She represents both local businesses and individuals—including government contractors, fitness centers, public and private school teachers and administrators, and restaurants and food service providers—regarding issues arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, and wage and hour laws. Sarah particularly enjoys counseling clients regarding business and employment disputes, focusing on effective resolutions that minimize exposure and avoid costly litigation.  She remains prepared to pursue legal proceedings when necessary, however, to protect and promote her client’s best interests.

Additionally, Sarah has represented hundreds of federal employees under civil, criminal, and congressional investigations over the course of her legal career.  She defends civil servants facing proposed disciplinary actions or appealing disciplinary decisions, including appearing before the Merit Systems Protection Board.  She also has experience negotiating settlements for employees’ claims before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  Sarah counsels federal employees and contractors through security clearance investigations and appeals of suspension and revocation decisions, as well.

Sarah, born in Washington, DC and later raised in Maryland, graduated from the University of Maryland in College Park with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.  She subsequently graduated from the George Washington University Law School.

Sarah is admitted to practice in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.  Beyond the firm, she serves as co-chair on the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia’s Amicus Committee.

Education:

• George Washington University Law School – JD – Juris Doctor (2013)
• University of Maryland – BA – Bachelor of Arts, Psychology (2008)

Professional Experience:

• Defended health care business against claims by a former employee and amicably secured mutual release agreement.

  Represented and defended high-profile clients in internal workplace investigations, including educators, federal government employees, and executives.

• Served as an independent investigator and conducted administrative investigations on behalf of local businesses into alleged employment law violations and workplace disputes.
• Negotiated reasonable, amicable severance agreements for various reasons on behalf of both employers and employees.
• Assisted claimants navigate and successfully appeal erroneous Virginia Employment Commission determinations related to eligibility, overpayment, and waiver of overpayment.
• Achieved dismissal/case closures in favor of several employer-side clients in response to EEOC complaints.
• Resolved sexual harassment and ADA violations on behalf of employee-side clients with substantial settlement agreements.
• Represented high-level government official in security clearance dispute, which resulted in issuance of high-level clearance.
• Successfully resolved demotion action involving an employee wrongly accused of performance deficiencies.
• Represented federal employee accused of owing the government over $10k in a financial liability for property loss matter, which resulted in dismissal of the alleged liability.
• Obtained dismissal of a removal action against a federal employee improperly accused of misconduct.

Publications and Presentations:

• Administrative Leave Reference Guide
• Severance Agreements – Documenting Employment Separations
• Federal Employment Update: Federal Employees Continue to Wait in Administrative Employment Limbo Due to MSPB Vacancies
• How Lawyers Can Assist in the US Federal Government Security Clearance Process
• Clean Record Settlements for Federal Employees May Return
• Are Masks Still Required in Virginia Workplaces?
• Advice for Employers: Quit Commenting on Employees’ Hair 
• Three Things Employers Need to Know About Parental Leave Policies to Avoid Legal Liability
• Employees: Do you Have a Workplace Investigation Interview? Avoid Making These Three Common Mistakes

Professional Memberships:

• Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia
• DC Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Community
• Maryland State Bar Association