Sarah B. Jansen

Sarah B. Jansen is an experienced litigator. For almost 20 years, she’s successfully defended municipal and corporate clients in state and federal trial and appellate courts. She’s passionate about delving into complicated legal issues, thinking outside the box, and obtaining winning results.

Her work has included serving as assistant outside counsel for a large multi-state commercial construction company and as assistant National Coordinating and Oversight Counsel for general liability claims for a Fortune 500 company’s subsidiaries.

Ms. Jansen has resolved numerous cases through motions to dismiss or summary judgment, saving clients money and the prolonged hassle of trial. She’s also had numerous successes in state and federal appellate courts, obtaining reversals or affirmations of trial court decisions.

Her trial and appellate court wins have involved a variety of legal issues, including:

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• Section 1983 qualified immunity
• Illinois administrative law
• civil rights laws and constitutional violations
  • excessive force
  • false arrest
  • inadequate medical care
  • malicious prosecution
  • failure to protect
  • Takings Clause violations
• borrowed employees under the Worker’s Compensation Act
• Article 9 sales
• insurance coverage
• successor liability
• Fraudulent Transfer Act
• citation proceedings

Previous Experience

Prior to joining HeplerBroom, Ms. Jansen handled various construction litigation, construction contract, and insurance coverage issues for Aleen R. Tiffany P.C. Prior to that, she was an Assistant State’s Attorney for the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office. In that capacity she focused on appellate work and federal civil rights litigation against County officials. She also provided legal counsel to County officials, department heads, and employees. Earlier in her career, she was an associate at firms in Illinois and Wisconsin, where she focused on commercial and construction litigation.

 Ms. Jansen served as Law Clerk to the Honorable John L. Coffey of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the Honorable Anne M. Burke of the Illinois Appellate Court.

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Education

• University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2000
• Illinois Wesleyan University, Bachelor of Arts in English, 1997

LAW SCHOOL HONORS/INVOLVEMENT

• Appellate Moot Court Team
• Dean’s List
• Research Assistant to Professor Charles Rice

Admissions & Affiliations

• Illinois Bar
• Wisconsin Bar
• United States Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit
• U.S. District Courts of the
  • Northern District of Illinois
  • Eastern District of Wisconsin

• Secured dismissal at pleadings stage in favor of nationally-based underground utility contractor in a double fatality automobile accident. Plaintiff claimed accident resulted from contractor’s work in vicinity of roadway. Motion granted based upon pleadings and numerous investigative depositions allowed by trial court. Affirmed by First District Illinois Appellate Court. Appeal to Illinois Supreme Court denied based upon briefs by Hepler Broom colleague Aleen Tiffany (2021).
• Secured dismissal at pleadings stage of pedestrian fatality case against a municipal client.
• Secured dismissal at pleadings stage of various Section 1983 and state law claims against municipal client and its board members for denial of variance and special use petitions.

Honors & Awards

• Best Lawyers' list of “Ones to Watch” (2023-2025)
• Litigation Award from the Illinois Institute for Local Government Law (2010)

News

Blog Posts

Publications

• “The Technology Revolution in the Construction Industry: The Rise of Artificial Intelligence,” Monograph, IDC Quarterly, Vol. 29 No. 4 (2019).
• "Construction Law Monograph," IDC Quarterly, Vol. 28, No. 2 (2018). (Co-author)