If you can read and follow directions, you can do anything.
-Sarah's Mom
SARAH A. STRUNK
Sarah is the Chair of the Board of Directors of Fennemore. She practices in the area of business and finance law, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, securities compliance and public-private partnerships. She has substantial experience with international sales contracts, public records laws, open meeting laws, privacy obligations and duties for privacy breaches and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act compliance.
Sarah also represents numerous clients in the mining and natural resource industry and in sports and entertainment.
As a child, Sarah was inspired to become an attorney after watching episodes of “Perry Mason.” She always thought it was great that he got people to confess on the stand. Today, she’s inspired by her smart, risk-taking clients who build and develop amazing companies.
Outside the office, Sarah enjoys gardening, cooking and entertaining. When she travels, it’s often to a location where she and her husband can dive.
Education
- LL.M., New York University School of Law
- J.D., University of Kansas School of Law
- B.A., magna cum laude, Wichita State University
Areas Of Practice
OTHER EXPERIENCE
- Sports Law
Representative Cases
- Represented the buyer in the acquisition of all the aggregate assets of LaFarge in Ecuador.
- Represent international banking interests lending to mining and other natural resource companies.
- Represented a publicly traded basic materials company as SEC Disclosure Counsel, including subsequent delisting and going dark transaction.
- Representation of an American company in the creation of a joint venture involving a Chinese firm to develop a manufacturing plant in central China.
- Represented Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Unisource Energy in connection with the proposed merger with a subsidiary of KKR, including proxy statement review.
- Numerous M&A transactions, on both buy and sell side, and involving stock or asset sales and purchases, including deals in South Africa, Mexico, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
- Involved in many mining, aggregates and other natural resource businesses, including joint ventures, exploration and development transactions, marketing agreements, secured finance transactions, registrations statements.
- ISDA® swap and derivative transactions.
- General Counsel to public entities, including Phoenix Industrial Development Authority and the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority. Representation of the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority includes the development, construction, and ongoing operation and maintenance of the University of Phoenix Stadium and the funding of Cactus League and Youth and Amateur Sports Projects, including negotiation of the use agreements for the NFL Super Bowl in 2008 and 2015.
Awards and Honors
- Best Lawyers in America®, Lawyer of the Year, Mining Law, 2025
- Best Lawyers in America®, Lawyer of the Year, Securities Regulation, 2022 and 2024
- Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Mining Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation, 2007-2025
- Chambers USA, Leading Lawyers for Business, 2005-2024
- Best Lawyers in America®, Lawyer of the Year, Mining Law, 2018, 2023
- Best Lawyers in America®, Lawyer of the Year, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2017
- Best Lawyers in America®, Lawyer of the Year, Securities/Capital Markets Law, 2016
- Southwest Super Lawyers®, Mergers and Acquisitions, 2007-2024
- David Bruno Award for Distinguished Service, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, 2019
- Outstanding Women in Business, Phoenix Business Journal, 2019
- AZ Business Leader 2019, AZ Business Magazine, 2019
- Top 100 Lawyers, AZ Business Magazine, 2018
- Southwest Super Lawyers®, Top 25 Women, 2017
- The International Who’s Who of Mining Lawyers, 2011-2016
- 50 Most Influential Women in Arizona Business, AZ Business Magazine, 2014
- Arizona’s Top Lawyers, AZ Business Magazine, 2014
- AZ Business Magazine’s Who’s Who in Business, 2012
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated (the highest rating available), by Martindale-Hubbell
Articles and Presentations
- Interview, “If you can read and follow directions, you can do anything,” Fennemore Blog, August 26, 2021
- Co-author, “SBA Provides Much-Needed Safe-Harbor for PPP Loans Under $2 Million,” Fennemore Client Alert, May 15, 2020
- Co-author, “The Small Business Association Tightens Loophole that Allowed Public Companies to Receive CARES Act Funding,” Fennemore Client Alert, April 24, 2020
- Co-author, “The Federal Reserve’s Main Street Lending Program,” Fennemore Client Alert, April 21, 2020
- Speaker, “The CARES Act – What You Need to Know Now,” Arizona Nonprofits, April 2, 2020
- Quoted, “Payroll help for companies hurt by pandemic,” AZ Big Media, March 31, 2020
- Quoted, “Payroll help for companies hurt by pandemic,” Chamber News, March 31, 2020
- Author, “The CARES Act – Paycheck Protection Program,” Fennemore Client Alert, March 27, 2020
- Quoted, “Women Who Inspire,” Welum, Summer 2019
- Quoted, “Will Fox Restaurant Concepts be ‘Cheesecakeized’ in Wake of Buyout?” Phoenix Business Journal, August 2, 2019
- Presenter, “Corporate Audits,” 65th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute Summer Conference,” RMMLF, July 2019
- Quoted, “Greater Phoenix Chamber Signs ONE Community’s UNITY Pledge,” AZ Big Media, Apirl 25, 2019
- Co-author, “Preliminary Agreements,” Mining and Minerals, A Practical Guide to the Life Cycle of a Mining Project, Global Law and Business, 2018
- Quoted, “High-Profile Attorney Takes Over as Phoenix Chamber Board Chair,” Phoenix Business Journal, October 30, 2018
- Speaker, “Women Who Run the Show,” Turnaround Management Association Arizona Chapter, June 19, 2018
- Panelist, “Competing in a Global Market,” ACOEP’s Scientific Assembly, November 8, 2017
- Speaker, “Strategic Planning and Board Governance,” The Stepping Stones for a Successful Nonprofit, Fennemore, September 21, 2017
Professional and community activities
- Member, Board of Trustees, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation
- Member, Sports Lawyer Association
- Member, Bioscience Council, Phoenix Forward
- Member, Greater Phoenix Leadership
- Former Chair, Board of Directors, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce
- Former Board Chair and Board Member, Social Venture Partners
- Former Board Member, Valle del Sol
Admissions
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- New York