Sarah Kohan has lived in Washington her entire life and is passionate about serving the people of Washington State.  Sarah has lived all over Washington, growing up in the Tri-Cities and obtaining her undergraduate degree in Spokane before moving to Western Washington to start her legal career.  Sarah’s love for criminal law began when she studied the criminal justice system as an undergraduate student at Gonzaga University.  Her passion for advocacy was ignited by her participation on Gonzaga University’s mock trial team, where she learned valuable skills about how to effectively advocate for clients in court.

Sarah graduated magna cum laude from Gonzaga University with dual bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and sociology in 2018.  She went on to study at the top-ranked University of Washington School of Law, graduating in 2021.  While in law school, Sarah earned an esteemed position as a Managing Editor on the Washington Law Review, where she participated in editing and publishing the prestigious law journal.  In 2020, Sarah published her own comment in the Washington Law Review Online journal, highlighting the inequities in Washington’s sex offender registration law as applied to individuals experiencing homelessness.

During law school, Sarah gained wide-ranging experience working in the criminal justice system.  Early in law school, Sarah externed at the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office’s Special Assault Unit, gaining an inside look at how prosecutors assess criminal charges in sexual assault cases.  Sarah then went on to become a Rule 9 Intern at the Pierce County Department of Assigned Counsel, where she defended low-income individuals in challenging misdemeanor criminal charges, primarily DUIs.  In her final year of law school, Sarah took part in the University of Washington School of Law’s Tribal Clinic, where she assisted members of the Tulalip Tribes in fighting misdemeanor and felony criminal charges against them.  Through these experiences, Sarah gained valuable skills learning how to effectively communicate with clients and advocate for her clients’ interests.

Sarah’s practice focuses on criminal, civil protection order, and post-conviction relief cases.  She handles misdemeanor cases and is an integral part of the team on complex federal and state felonies.  Sarah understands how intimidating and complicated the criminal justice system can be to navigate and is dedicated to helping her clients understand every step of the process.

Education

J.D., University of Washington School of Law, 2021
B.A., Gonzaga University, 2018, Magna Cum Laude

Associations

Washington State Bar
Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Federal Bar, Western District of Washington
Tulalip Tribal Bar