Strategic Advocacy. Proven Results
University of Pittsburgh School of Law – J.D., 2012
University of Pittsburgh – B.S. Neuroscience, 2009
Pennsylvania, 2014
Western District of Pennsylvania, 2018
Middle District of Pennsylvania, 2020
Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 2020
U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 2024
Allegheny County Bar Association
Washington County Bar Association
Sarah E. Cobbs is a partner in Thomas, Thomas & Hafer’s Pittsburgh, PA office, where she is also a member of the firm’s general liability practice group.
Sarah represents employers and municipalities in all aspects of labor relations, employment law, and Section 1983 civil rights cases. She defends police officers, public officials, corrections officers and administrators, teachers and school district administrators, children and youth case workers, as well as their respective municipal entities, in state and federal court in Pennsylvania. Sarah acts as labor counsel for local municipalities, advising them on personnel and human resources issues. Additionally, Sarah provides sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination training for County employees.
Sarah also has significant experience in general liability claims including auto, truck, premises liability and construction injury claims, professional liability, toxic tort and insurance coverage claims. In the last five years, Sarah has successfully defended ten jury trials throughout Pennsylvania.
Cases illustrating the results Sarah achieves for her clients include the following:
Quisenberry v. Ridge, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 217730, 2023 WL 8479234 (W.D. Pa., Dec. 7, 2023) aff’d by 2025 U.S. App. LEXIS 930 (obtained summary judgment for county employee based upon Qualified Immunity)
Koger v. Washington County, (obtained dismissal of Washington County via Preliminary Objections based upon Statute of Limitations)
Leathers v. Belding, (obtained dismissal of client via 12(b)(6) motion based upon Monell liability)
Umstott v. Swaney, Allegheny County, GD 17-16577 (Defense Verdict, jury trial)(2024)
Delancey vs. O’Malley, Allegheny County, GD 19-12575 (Defense Verdict, jury trial)(2023)
Burgess v. Hazelwood, Allegheny County, GD 20-9463 (Defense Verdict, jury trial)(2022)
Oswald v. Tedesco, Westmoreland County, (Defense Verdict, jury trial)(2021)
Fox v. Koehn, Westmoreland County, (Defense Verdict, jury trial)(2021)
Mohnkern v. Gould, 234 A. 3d 395 (Pa. Super.2020)(obtained defense favorable verdict during jury trial and successfully defended appeal of the verdict to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.)
