Sarah Yanez

Sarah’s path to law began with an adventure and kangaroos — she completed high school as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student at Mercedes College in Adelaide, South Australia, before returning to the Pacific Northwest to attend Gonzaga University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Italian Studies. During college, she was a member of the Novice Women’s Crew Team and spent her junior year studying abroad through Gonzaga-in-Florence, an experience that shaped both her worldview and her lifelong love of Italy. She went on to earn her J.D. from Seattle University School of Law, serving as a Rule 9 Legal Intern with the Washington Attorney General’s Office, Department of Labor & Industries, and interning for Judges Dean Lum and Richard McDermott at King County Superior Court. She became a member of the Washington State Bar Association in 2002.

Sarah began her legal career in a small office between Seattle and Tacoma, where she handled numerous divorces and developed a deep appreciation for the precision and empathy required to help clients navigate difficult transitions. She later opened her own practice in Tacoma, serving as Guardian ad Litem in guardianship matters and as appointed legal counsel for alleged incapacitated persons. Sarah found the most rewarding part of her work was helping people through some of life’s most challenging moments, including divorces, injury claims, and guardianships. After relocating to California, she served as National Director of Attorneys for a national firm headquartered in Santa Monica, and personally signing thousands of clients to Mass Torts cases on behalf of litigation firms across the country. She later became National Sales Manager for the intake team at Reliance Litigation, overseeing the critical first point of contact where inquirers become clients.

Sarah believes that the first conversation a prospective client has with a law firm is one of the most important moments in their case. Until an attorney-client relationship begins, nothing is happening to protect a person’s rights or preserve their position. For Sarah, that first call is where someone finds not only an advocate, but also a team committed to helping them achieve the best possible outcome. That philosophy continues to guide her work at Hemmat Law Group.

Outside of work, Sarah is an avid traveler and yogi who speaks Italian and some Spanish. She enjoys soaking up the California sunshine with her husband and their fluffy little dog while continuing to feed her love of travel, language, and new experiences.