Sara Kropf

Practice Areas

Sara’s practice is dedicated exclusively to white-collar criminal defense, with significant experience in public corruption, antitrust, and government contracting matters. She represents individuals and small to mid-sized businesses in federal and state investigations and is a seasoned trial lawyer, having taken both civil and criminal cases to verdict in courts across the country.

Career

Sara has taken 15+ criminal and civil cases to trial during her career. She defends people under criminal investigation and companies in complex civil litigation. Her criminal practice focuses exclusively on white-collar criminal defense work, with substantial experience in public corruption, antitrust, and government contracting matters.

There was never any doubt growing up that Sara would be a lawyer. According to some very unreliable sources (her parents), she was a stubborn kid. She was also a nerd.

Sara’s persistence and nerdiness turned out to be useful traits as a lawyer. She does not give up on her clients when the odds of success are long and loves to dive into thorny legal issues. Because every one of her clients is facing a crisis when they call, Sara knows that they need more than a lawyer. Her approach combines tough lawyering with a sympathetic ear and a healthy dose of keep-you-sane humor.

After law school, Sara paid off her student loans by joining one of the biggest law firms in the country. She ended up loving the complexity of the work and stayed for ten years, eventually making partner. She represented large companies and executives in complex criminal investigations and litigation. Sara took cases to trial in federal and state courts across the country.

After ten years at a big firm, Sara realized that she wanted a different path. She loved the practice of law but wanted to represent people and small companies. A big firm’s price tag put that out of reach for most of them. So, in 2013, Sara founded a solo law firm that eventually grew into Kropf Moseley Schmitt.

Sara is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, which means that a courtroom feels like her second home. If push comes to shove, Sara is prepared to take her client’s fight to the end. She is also Chambers ranked for white collar criminal defense work and named a “Best Lawyer” in Washingtonian Magazine.

Sara has lived in Washington, DC for over 30 years and raised her two sons in the city. She is a huge fan of the Washington Nationals, the Fourth Amendment, and the Oxford comma.

Professional Experience:

Founder, Kropf Moseley Schmitt- 2013-present

Partner, Baker Botts LLP (Washington DC) - 2009-2013

Associate, Baker Botts LLP (Washington DC) - 2002-2012

Judicial Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit - 2001-2002

Professional Memberships

BAR ADMISSIONS & MEMBERSHIPS:

District of Columbia

Virginia

Maryland

U.S. District Court, District of Columbia

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia

U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia

U.S. District Court, Maryland

Court of Federal Claims

United States Supreme Court

D.C. Circuit

Fourth Circuit

Eleventh Circuit

Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers

Women's White Collar Defense Association

Board, Legal Counsel for the Elderly

National Association of Criminal Defense Counsel

D.C. Circuit Historical Society

American Bar Association

Publications

Grand Jury Target blog (2013-present)

"Challenging the Use of Taint Teams to Protect the Attorney-Client Privilege After a Search Warrant," ABA Criminal Justice Magazine

"How to Increase Your Client Base By Blogging," ABA GP Solo Magazine

"The Reach of Federal Extortion and Blackmail Statutes," ABA Criminal Justice Magazine

"DOJ Press Office Is Not Fulfilling Its Stated Mission," Law360 (March 2024)

"How Cognizant Bribery Case Could Shape DOJ Investigations," Law360 (May 2023)

"Civil RICO Class Actions: A New Bridge to the Courthouse?," ABA CADS Report

"Search & Seizure Commentary: Are Zoom Calls the Next Investigative Frontier for DOJ?" NACDL The Champion (January 2023)

"The Dangers of Rule 26.2 Reciprocal Discovery at Trial," Law360 (November 2022)

"Defending a Client in a Mandatory Self-Disclosure World: Representing Federal Government Contractors in Parallel Criminal, Civil, and Administrative Investigations" NACDL The Champion (with Margaret Cassidy) (September 2021)

"The Basics of an Office of Inspector General Investigation — Taking It Seriously" NACDL The Champion (September 2018)

"Why We Shouldn't Fall for DOJ's Sales Pitch on Cooperation" Law360 (March 2016)

"Protecting the Attorney-Client Privilege When the Government Executes a Search Warrant," NACDL The Champion (September 2014)

"Protecting the Confidentiality of the Work of an ‘Outsider’ On the Defense Team," NACDL The Champion Magazine

"The “Chief” Problem with Reciprocal Discovery," NACDL The Champion Magazine

Personal

Sara loves baseball and is a huge fan of the Washington Nationals.

Clients

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

WHITE COLLAR CRIMINAL DEFENSE

Defended real estate developer in multi-week federal bribery and conspiracy trial

Defended president of a construction company accused of contracting fraud in both federal and state cases, including winning a reversal of a trial conviction after the government failed to disclose exculpatory evidence

Won a complete acquittal at trial for an executive of a clinical laboratory accused of Medicare kickbacks and research fraud

Won complete acquittal at trial of medical care provider accused of felony rioting during political demonstration

Represented entrepreneur in federal criminal investigation into alleged Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act violations

Represented company executives accused of criminal antitrust violations related to alleged price-fixing and bid-rigging in government contracts

Represented CEO of company in federal contacting fraud matter into allegedly improper set-aside contracts

Represent employee in federal criminal environmental investigation involving Toxic Substances Control Act

Represented small business federal contractor in parallel criminal and civil investigations

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL (OIG) INVESTIGATIONS

Defended federal employee in OIG investigations into allegations of time-and-attendance violations

Defended head of agency into allegations of conflict of interest and procurement violations

Represented agency commissioner in OIG investigation

Represented engineering company in an OIG investigation related to federal contracts.

Represented OIG employee in multiple investigations by Council of Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE)

Represented employee in OIG investigation into alleged post-employment ethics violations

CORPORATE INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS

Led internal investigation into employee’s multi-year embezzlement scheme at a public company

Led internal investigation into potential ethics violation by executive at international organization

Conducted internal investigation into accounting issues associated with a multi-billion dollar financial restatement

Conducted internal investigation at public agency into alleged procurement misconduct

CIVIL LITIGATION

Successfully defended law firm partner in trial against breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract claims related to the firm’s dissolution

Successfully defended former retail company CEO in federal court trial in breach of contract case involving a complex real estate transaction

Represented company in fraudulent conveyance claim related to ground lease

Prevailed in arbitration for technology company for breach of contract claims

Prevailed in state court trial for a general contractor in defamation case

Successfully defended public company in lawsuit alleging tortious interference of contract and civil conspiracy claims in state court

Represented an energy company in defamation and RICO matters in federal court, as well as successfully defended company at trial of allegations of human rights abuses overseas

Represented limited liability company in federal court case alleging fraudulent conveyance

Defended a Fortune-500 company in a class action lawsuit alleging civil fraud and RICO

CRIMINAL TRIALS

Won complete acquittal of client in sexual assault case

Won complete acquittal of client in multi-week federal healthcare fraud trial

Represented client in criminal tax fraud trial and re-trials after two hung juries, eventually obtaining dismissal of conviction based on successful Brady claim

Won complete acquittal for client accused of felony rioting during 2017 political protest

Represented small business owner in contracting fraud trial related to set aside programs

Won acquittal for client in criminal trespass case

Represented client in multi-week federal public corruption trial

Defended pro bono client in death penalty resentencing jury trial

CIVIL TRIALS

Won defense verdict and prevailed on counterclaim in breach of contract case related to dissolution of law firm

Prevailed in multi-day AAA arbitration for legal technology company in breach of contract case

Represented corporate client in multi-week federal trial alleging fraudulent conveyance in real estate transaction.

Won defense verdict in first Alien Tort Statute trial against a company in federal court

Won verdict for plaintiff in defamation trial related to false online reviews

Won defense verdict for pro bono client in fraud trial

Education

Awards