Sarah S. Stempky-Kime, Personal Injury Attorney in Southfield, Michigan

Sarah is the managing partner at Christensen Law, where she recently celebrated her 12th anniversary. Integral to the successful operations of the firm, Sarah has been working alongside founder David Christensen since 2009, partnering on major trials protecting the rights of accident victims.

Sarah is responsive and compassionate when it comes to her clients, and a strong litigator with a history of successful verdicts won in challenging court situations. Sarah has far more trial experience than her years in practice would suggest, making her stand out as one of the state’s best young trial attorneys. “I’ve learned that everyone deserves the same attention. People who have been hurt are going through the extreme stress of trying to heal while dealing with the added stress of being in a lawsuit. They’ve been wronged, and they need someone to represent their interests. That’s where I come in.”

A native of Cheboygan, Michigan, Sarah graduated from Alma College in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Her psychological background makes her an effective communicator and helps her empathize with clients who are recovering after traumatic automobile accidents.

Sarah attended Michigan State University College of Law, graduating in 2010 with a certificate in Trial Practice from the Trial Practice Institute, where demonstrated remarkable competitive advocacy skills.

She has won several multiple million-dollar trials and settlements, improving her clients’ lives after auto accidents impacted their ability to work or live independently. In 2014, Michigan Lawyers Weekly named one of Sarah’s victories second-highest on its list of 2014 Million Dollar Verdicts. Her skills as an orator and success at trial have continued to attract statewide recognition and accolades and awards.

She sits on the executive board for the Michigan Association for Justice, a top advocacy organization committed to making Michigan’s justice system fair, effective, and accessible to all the state’s residents, and is a regular presenter for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education. She is also a member of Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan‘s Board of Directors, and involved with the Brain Recovery Project. “If I can help educate or bring attention to the issues of epilepsy and brain injuries, and help reframe people’s thinking from fear to hope,” she says, “then I am happy to do it.”

In 2020, Sarah’s son, Alistair, suffered from chronic and severe epileptic seizures called infantile spasms and needed to undergo a functional hemispherectomy – a brain surgery that meant “turning off” the left half of Alistair’s brain. Sarah instinctually immersed herself in researching the condition, treatment and outcomes, as well as the neurologists and neurosurgeons who specialize in the procedure. Following the successful operation, she continues to balance his rehabilitation and therapy while ensuring all the usual joys of family life and childhood are a part of their day-to-day.