Sara E. Pendleton is an associate in the Salt Lake City office of GRSM and is a member of the Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property and Entertainment & Recreation Law, and Employment Law practice groups. Ms. Pendleton has extensive experience in complex litigation and resolution of intellectual property, business disputes, and employment matters. She regularly handles filing, protection, and enforcement of intellectual property, including copyrights, trademarks, and patents. She also represents clients in actions for defamation, rights of publicity, tortious interference with business relations, breach of contract, professional negligence, and claims arising from such activities. Her clients have ranged from Grammy award-winning artists to software and patent licensors to social media influencers. She negotiated licensing deals for play on Netflix, Hulu, and other platforms.  Ms. Pendleton regularly handles employment matters before the EEOC and the UALD.

During law school, Ms. Pendleton clerked in several public and private sector positions, including with the Texas Attorney General, Brigham Young University General Counsel, and Reynolds & Associates. After law school, she exclusively handled entertainment negotiations and client matters. Her experience transitioned to intellectual property and she served a central role in drafting complaints, leading the discovery process, and drafting successful dispositive motions in many intellectual property disputes. She successfully argued a fee motion in front of the U.S. Federal Circuit for her patent owner client.

Admissions

• Utah Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court, Central District of Utah
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Memberships

• Member, Salt Lake Board of Realtors
• Member, Women Lawyer’s of Utah
• Member, United Way of Salt Lake Women United

Community Involvement

• Volunteer Estate Planning Drafter, Wills 4 Heroes
• Paralegal Internship Coordinator, LDS Business College
• Adjunct Instructor, LDS Business College (Legal Research & Writing, Ethics, and Business Law)
• Rape Crisis Advocate, Utah Center for Women and Children in Crisis

• Won critical opposition to motion for attorney’s fees in U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals for patent infringement client.
• Never lost a motion to transfer or opposition to motion to transfer of the nearly dozen drafted.
• Won $500,000 settlement for author in copyright infringement suit.
• Negotiated nearly $500,000 worth of licensing deals for one client alone.
• Managed a film library of 1,000 films and negotiated licensing and sales agreements to make it profitable after bankruptcy.
• Successfully avoided numerous trademark and copyright lawsuits for my clients through negotiation