Sarah Quist
WLALA Foundation Past President & WLALA Member at Large
Sarah Quist is an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California, Civil Division. She has represents the United States, its agencies, and employees in a wide variety of defensive and affirmative actions in federal court through trial and appeal. She also coordinates the Affirmative Wildland Fire Cost Recovery Program, co-chairs the office Pro Bono Committee, and is an LGBTQ Special Emphasis Program Manager. Sarah began her career in the Department of Justice Honors Program in Washington D.C. She then worked as a Senior Attorney for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, where she received an employee of the year distinction. Sarah has handled matters in areas as diverse as medical malpractice, tort and Constitutional tort, law enforcement and prisoner matters, employment discrimination, government contracting, wildfire cost recovery, administrative review of agency actions, and policy advice.
Sarah earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Wisconsin Law School where she served on the Wisconsin International Law Journal board and as President of the Public Interest Law Foundation; she received State Bar and other public interest awards. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, where she graduated magna cum laude and was proudly elected as the first female student body president and the statewide student association vice president. She studied peace and development during a semester abroad in Sweden.
Outside of the law, Sarah enjoys leading hikes and teaching a backpacking course through the Sierra Club, bringing Girl Scouts from her multi-level troop on adventures, and raising backyard chickens with her spouse and two children.
Since joining the WLALA Boards in 2013, some of Sarah’s favorite memories have been volunteering with the Downtown Women Center and meeting talented public interest fellows and scholarship recipients. She is thrilled to serve as the WLALA Foundation President and amplify its valuable community programs alongside the devoted and talented Board.
