Sarah Schielke (pronounced “shell-key”) was born and raised in Rochester, New York (go Bills). She attended Middlebury College in Vermont where she received a B.A. in Psychology and graduated magna cum laude. Sarah then went on to law school at the Boston University School of Law on a full academic merit scholarship. There, she was the Managing Editor of the Boston University Law Review. After law school, Sarah packed up her bags, rounded up her dogs, and moved out to Colorado where she opened her own criminal defense and civil rights law practice.
In over thirteen years of practicing since, Sarah has become an experienced trial lawyer with an unmatched winning record. She has a reputation for being one of the most intelligent, passionate, and creative attorneys in the country. When the playing field changes, she adapts; when the playing field is unfair, she innovates. Sarah is fearless, expertly determined, wonderful to know, and exhausting to oppose.
In 2023, Sarah was named one of USA Today’s Women of the Year, an award recognizing “strong and resilient women who have been champions of change across the country,” for her work in the civil rights field. This work includes Sarah obtaining a record-breaking $3,000,000 settlement in the internationally publicized case of Karen Garner v. City of Loveland in 2021, and then just a year later, her obtaining yet another record-breaking $7,000,000 settlement in the police tasing case of Michael Clark v. Idaho Springs. Sarah also received DUIDLA’s “Badass Award” in 2021 – the organization’s highest honor – for her work on two United States Supreme Court case amicus briefs and for her impact in the civil rights and DUI defense fields.
Sarah has been repeatedly named a Rising Stars SuperLawyer for DUI Defense (2018-present). She regularly lectures and presents all over the country regarding marijuana, alcohol and drug DUI defense strategy. Her material on Winning Marijuana DUIs has been published in the Texas DWI Manual. Sarah is on the Executive Committee and serves as President to the national DUI Defense Lawyers Association (DUIDLA). She is married and has three kids, five dogs, and a definitely normal preoccupation with the band Phish.
EDUCATION
2005
B.A. in Psychology from Middlebury College
2008
J.D. from Boston University School of Law
BAR ADMISSIONS
2010
State of Colorado
2011
Federal District Court for District of Colorado
2013
Tenth Circuit Court
of Appeals
2017
United States
Supreme Court
RECOGNITION
2023
Named USA Today's Woman of the Year for State of Colorado
2021
Recipient of The Badass Award, the DUI Defense Lawyers Association’s Highest Honor
2018 - 2022
Selected to Super Lawyers - Rising Stars
2012
In re People v. Wilburn, successfully petitioned Colorado Supreme Court for Rule 21 review & reversal, 272 P.3d 1078 (Colo. 2012) 2006
Boston University School of Law, Dean’s Award – Evidence 2005
Boston University School of Law, Dean’s Award – Civil Procedure