Overview Experience Case Studies Insights Events News Outside the Office Community Leadership

Sarah C. Hellmann

Partner

St. Louis
phone: 314.480.1920
fax: 314.480.1505

email: [email protected]

Overview Experience Case Studies

Insights Events News

Outside the Office Community Leadership

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Overview

Knowing the people behind the businesses she represents helps Sarah discern the best long-term litigation strategy and outcome for clients.

Sarah is a skilled and artful litigator representing clients in high-stakes and complex litigation all over the country. She has extensive experience representing large companies--particularly those in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries--in a broad range of commercial matters. Sarah also has considerable first- and second-chair trial experience in federal and state courts, as well as arbitration proceedings. She routinely appears in federal courts nationwide to defend against emergency temporary restraining orders (TROs) and other injunctive relief.

Sarah is adept at working closely with general counsel and in-house counsel teams, both to avoid litigation as well as manage pending litigation. She appreciates the burden litigation can place on a company and works to ensure that cases are handled efficiently and effectively to minimize disruption. She aims to protect business interests and tailors her strategies to meet the individual goals and objectives of each client. As a result, Sarah and the Husch Blackwell team have been recognized as a Value Champion by the Association of Corporate Counsel for their collaboration with Express Scripts in implementing legal project management to improve efficiencies in the delivery of legal services.

Industries

Education

Healthcare

Services

Commercial Litigation

Healthcare Litigation

Healthcare Operations

Higher Education

Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution

Pharmacy

Recognition

The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation, 2024
Chambers USA, Healthcare, 2022 and 2023
Association of Corporate Counsel, Value Champion, 2017
Women’s Champion for Social Change, St. Louis Ending Violence Against Women Network, 2013
Missouri Lawyers Weekly, Litigation Practitioner Award, 2012
Missouri Lawyers Weekly, "Top Defense Verdicts of the Year," 2006, 2008, 2013
Missouri Bar Pro Bono Wall of Fame, 2012

Education

J.D., Saint Louis University School of Law
- summa cum laude
- Order of the Woolsack
- Class Salutatorian
- Mel Friedman Real Estate Fellowship
- Saint Louis University Law Journal
B.S., University of Dayton
- Criminal Justice
- magna cum laude

Admissions

Missouri
Illinois
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin

Professional Memberships and Certifications

American Bar Association
American Health Law Association
The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
The Missouri Bar

Experience

Served as lead defense counsel in arbitration proceeding brought against client by large international manufacturer of nuclear parts. After a week-long arbitration in front of three member panel, secured complete defense verdict for client.
Served as trial counsel for Express Scripts, a large pharmacy benefits manager, in jury trial involving breach of contract claims brought by pharmacy after Express Scripts terminated their relationship. After week-long trial, jury returned complete defense verdict in favor of Express Scripts.
Achieved multiple successes in defending clients against parties seeking injunctive relief relating to termination of provider agreements.
Served as lead counsel in defending client in confidential arbitration proceeding brought by large health plan in northwest United States. Claimant sought more than $7 million in damages for breach of contract and breach of duty of good faith and fair dealing claims. After four-day hearing, a panel of three arbitrators found in favor of client and awarded no money to claimant.
Obtained numerous defense verdicts in jury trials in St. Louis City, St. Louis County and Cape Girardeau County on behalf of physicians and other healthcare providers.
Obtained summary judgment in favor of client brought by a provider in a confidential arbitration in which provider claimed that client violated the Any Wiling Provider laws. Provider sought to vacate the arbitration award in federal court, which was denied.

Case Studies

Express Scripts, Inc.

ESI prevailed against antitrust allegations, and then turned its counterclaims into a $20 million judgment.

Seminars | April 26, 2019

Annual Higher Education Seminar - St. Louis

News Releases | August 17, 2023

Best Lawyers in America® Places More than 230 Husch Blackwell Lawyers in 2024 Rankings

News Releases | June 05, 2023

Husch Blackwell's Rankings Grow in the 2023 Edition of Chambers USA

News Releases | June 01, 2022

Husch Blackwell Grows Rankings in 2022 Edition of Chambers USA

Outside the Office

Sarah is religious about her morning run, but the rest of her free time belongs to her young family.

The mother of four grade-school-age children, Sarah rises at 5 a.m. to run alone or with a group of friends. She often arrives at work with a client solution after having had the chance to think through issues while pounding out the miles. Sarah has completed two marathons, the first with her three sisters to celebrate her 40th birthday.

Sarah and her three sisters compete in a marathon.

Community Leadership

Sarah serves on the board of directors for St. Martha’s Hall, a not-for-profit agency that provides a shelter care program for abused women and their children.

She joined St. Martha’s Hall after setting up a legal intake clinic for a similar agency devoted to abused women and their children. In 2021, Sarah began her term as President of the Board of Directors.