HBS Charlotte Office Expands with Addition of Two New Associates
Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) is pleased to announce Sara Brakmann and Sarah Burnick have joined the firm’s Charlotte office as new associates.
“We’re excited to have Sara and Sarah join our team,” said Clark Goodman, Partner in the Charlotte office. “Each brings a unique perspective and experience that will enhance our ability to provide exceptional service to our clients across the region.”
Sara represents clients across North Carolina and South Carolina in commercial and general litigation matters, including personal injury, product liability, business, health care, and other tort matters.
Sara began her legal career at a boutique defense firm in Columbia, South Carolina, where she gained experience defending national retailers and corporate entities. After relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina, Sara broadened her practice working at a local firm. Sara has over six years of litigation experience handling a variety of complex civil cases with significant exposure in state and federal courts of South Carolina and North Carolina. This experience allows Sara to provide her clients with strategic guidance tailored to their specific needs.
Sara earned her Juris Doctor with a Children’s Law Concentration from the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law, where she served as the associate editor-in-chief of the Journal of Law and Education. She also studied at The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn in London, England. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, cum laude, from the University of Arkansas.
Sarah focuses her practice on general liability, government affairs, and governmental liability. She brings more than seven years of litigation and leadership experience from her service as an Assistant District Attorney in the Alamance County District Attorney’s Office.
During her time as a prosecutor, Sarah handled hundreds of matters through every phase of litigation, including discovery, motion practice, negotiations, and trial. She held multiple key leadership roles, serving as the Supervisor of District Court, Internship Program Supervisor, the primary felony drug prosecutor, and the primary felony animal cruelty prosecutor. In these capacities, she managed complex caseloads, oversaw courtroom operations, and developed case strategies that consistently produced favorable outcomes.
Sarah worked closely with law enforcement agencies, providing legal guidance on investigations, policy development, charging decisions, and search warrants. She frequently conducted and participated in specialized trainings and supported officers throughout the investigative process. Her extensive courtroom and advisory experience informs her transition into private practice, where she now applies her prosecutorial background to defending governmental entities and managing government liability matters.
Sarah earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she was active in the Holderness Moot Court, served as notes editor for the North Carolina Journal of Law and Technology, and received multiple academic and advocacy honors. She received her Bachelor of Science from Guilford College, graduating with distinction in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology.
About Hall Booth Smith
Established in 1989, Hall Booth Smith, P.C. is a full-service law firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Experienced across a wide range of legal disciplines, HBS attorneys pride themselves on providing knowledgeable, proactive, client-specific counsel to individuals, domestic and international corporations, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s promise: “Serving to Achieve Excellence.” To learn more, please visit: www.hallboothsmith.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.