Cori R. Sarno
Associate

csarno@akk-law.com

T (916) 564-6100 ext. 203
F (916) 564-6263

Practice Areas:
Employment Litigation; Civil Rights Litigation; Public Entity Defense; Torts.

Significant Cases:

• Lancaster v. County of Yolo (E.D. Cal. 2007) 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 47374
• Lancaster v. County of Yolo (Cal. 3d. App. Dist. 2009) Case No. C058651
• Hirschler v. Dept. of Corrections (Cal. 3d App. Dist. 2008) Case No. C053955
• Bartsch v. Regents (Cal. 3d App. Dist 2006) Case No. C049752
• Scott v. City of Yuba City (E.D. Cal. 2009) 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 115482

Ms. Sarno specializes in dispositive motions in both state and federal court. She has obtained dismissals and judgments in a number of high profile, highly contentious cases with relatively complex, interesting legal issues. She has also had considerable success using factual and legal arguments to convince Plaintiff's attorneys to simply dismiss non-meritorious cases. In several cases she has obtained significant attorneys fees awards for the defense. Ms. Sarno prides herself on her creative problem-solving and ability to research arguments and theories which get her clients out of litigation at the earliest possible opportunity. Her colleagues describe her as a no-nonsense, meticulous, and focused advocate.

Born in San Diego California on August 21, 1976, Ms. Sarno graduated from California State University Dominguez Hills, with a B.A. in 1998 and obtained her M.A. in Behavioral Science: Negotiation and Conflict Management in 2000. She attended law school at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and received her J.D. with distinction in 2003. At McGeorge, she was a staff writer and a primary editor for the McGeorge Law Review and was a member of the Traynor Honor Society. Ms. Sarno worked in the Office of the General Counsel for the California State University while in graduate school, and at Angelo, Kilday & Kilduff for a year prior to completing her J.D., gaining experience with public entity defense, employment litigation and education law. When Ms. Sarno is not at work, she is busy being a mommy.

Admitted to Practice

• All California State courts
• United States District Court for the Eastern District
• United States Court for the Northern District
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Experience

• 2002 – Present
  Angelo, Kilday & Kilduff
  Associate (June 2004-Present)
  Law Clerk (November 2002-May 2004): Perform research and draft legal memoranda, pleadings and motions for Federal and State court mainly in the areas of public entity defense and employment law.
• 2001 –2003
  Professor Claude Rohwer, McGeorge School of Law
  Research / Teaching Assistant: Perform research, editing and drafting of legal memoranda and of the contracts Nutshell; tutor first year contracts and agency students
• 2001 - 2003
• Professor Christine Manolakas, McGeorge School of Law
  Research Assistant: Perform research in the area of tax and community property
• 1999 – 2000
  Office of General Counsel, California State University Office of the Chancellor
  Paralegal Assistant: Administrative and litigation support to the General Counsel; perform research, assist in document production, collect and organize data; general office including word-processing, spreadsheets and data entry.

Education

• Univ. of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, J.D. with distinction (2003)
  • Student Bar Association, McGeorge School of Law 2001 – 2002
    Elected Positions: 2E Class Representative
  • McGeorge Law Review – Staff Writer and Primary Editor
  • Traynor Honor Society
• California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, California
  Behavioral Sciences, Negotiation and Conflict Management, M.A. (2000)
  Sociology, Minor: Women's Studies, B.A. (1998)
• Associated Students Inc., Cal State Dominguez Hills 1995 - 2000
  Elected Positions: Lower Divisions Rep.; Organizations Commissioner; Vice President of Academic Affairs; Graduate Students Rep.

Professional Memberships

• Phi Delta Phi
• American Bar Association