Sara Abarbanel is an employment lawyer who advises employers on the full spectrum of workplace law issues, with a particular emphasis on California employment law. She works with companies ranging from emerging businesses to established national employers, helping them navigate complex employment challenges with practical, strategic, and business-focused counsel.

Sara’s practice focuses on employment counseling, training, and litigation. She regularly advises clients on wage and hour compliance, workplace policies, severance and separation agreements, disability accommodation and leave issues, and discrimination, harassment, and retaliation issues. She has substantial experience helping multistate and national employers address California-specific requirements and evolving statutory and regulatory developments.

Sara represents employers in a wide range of disputes, including single-plaintiff employment claims, wage and hour class and representative actions, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings. Sara’s practice reflects a broad client base across industries, including health care, consumer products, food and beverage, aviation, media, technology, logistics, education, sports, manufacturing, and professional services.

Sara is particularly valued for her ability to combine technical knowledge of employment law with sound judgment and a practical understanding of business operations. Clients rely on her for thoughtful guidance on, especially where California law presents added complexity.

She is a member of the Labor & Employment Practice Group and the Innovative Technology Sector.

Prior to joining Foley, Sara worked in the California Attorney General’s Executive Office and the California Governor’s Office of Legal Affairs. Before attending law school, Sara worked with the Stanford Criminal Justice Center on research relating to California Public Safety Realignment.