Photo of Sarah-Michelle Stearns

Sarah-Michelle Stearns

Sarah-Michelle Stearns focuses her practice on risk management, complex commercial litigation, and appeals, with an emphasis on both real estate litigation and labor and employment matters. Her practice includes the representation of investors, employers, developers, commercial landlords and tenants, and related stakeholders in disputes concerning investments, breach of contract issues, real estate development, commercial lease matters, intellectual property, and related litigation. She has wide-ranging experience in both state and federal courts in Texas, including experience in pursuing and defending applications for injunctive relief. Her practice also includes advising clients on best practices for complying with applicable regulations, and she reviews and drafts contracts with an eye toward the same. She has familiarity with a variety of industries and typically serves clients in the finance, health care, arts and entertainment, and technology industries. Overall, Sarah-Michelle is a fierce advocate, strong writer, and she finds creative strategies to approach complex problems.

Texas Business Court holds that unrelated historical transactions under a master services agreement cannot be aggregated to satisfy the $5 million “qualified transaction” jurisdictional threshold.

Continue Reading Texas Business Court Clarifies Limits of ‘Related Transactions’ for Jurisdictional Threshold Introduction

In Aspire Commercial v. Stephenson, the Texas Business Court held that parties may remove cases without waiting for a ruling on a pending temporary injunction application.

Continue Reading Texas Business Court Clarifies Removal Timing: Pending Applications for Injunctive Relief Need Not Be Decided Before Removal