Meet Attorney Sarah
In Her Own Words
When you take on a new case or step into a complex legal dispute, what do you look for first, and how does that shape your strategy?
The first thing I determine is exactly where the case stands: what has already happened, whether a court date or response deadline is approaching, what requires immediate attention, and what the client wants to accomplish. From there, I trace what led to the current posture and determine what must happen next. That same discipline is critical in court. During a criminal trial, I may be listening closely to a State witness, evaluating in real time whether an objection is appropriate, and simultaneously building my cross-examination. When direct examination ends, there is no extra time to prepare. I have to process the testimony as it unfolds, make immediate strategic decisions, and remain focused on the client’s objective.
What drives you when you are fighting for a client, and what keeps you fully engaged after years in practice?
What drives me is representing a client’s interests when that person’s freedom is at stake. When a client pleads not guilty, they have the right to a trial, and the State must be held to its burden. The prosecution must follow the law, the rules, and the procedures. Shortcuts are not acceptable. What keeps me fully engaged is the responsibility I carry to do everything in my power to prepare and position the case as strongly as the facts and law allow. In a recent criminal matter, I filed a series of motions because the record revealed multiple problems that required attention. That work led to a substantive negotiation with the prosecutor, and it reflects how I practice: when an issue can affect my client’s freedom, I confront it directly.
Drawing on your courtroom, immigration, appellate, and teaching experience, what distinguishes your approach to high-stakes matters in Mississippi?
What distinguishes my approach is that I look at the whole case. My experience across legal contexts helps me understand how the legal, factual, procedural, and practical pieces fit together. My background in linguistics and bilingual practice also makes me attentive to wording, context, and meaning. That precision benefits my analysis across practice areas. I combine goal-oriented preparation with creative problem-solving, particularly when the most obvious route is not producing a solution. In a recent matter involving a child and international complications, I contacted a foreign consulate when institutional barriers were preventing action. When I confront bureaucratic obstacles, I keep looking for a lawful path forward.
Client Perspective
“After what felt like ages of trying to parse the process of changing my legal name and gender marker in Mississippi with minimal information to be found online, I was put in touch with Sarah Schnaithman.
Sarah was immensely helpful with guiding in what actions to take, walking me through it step by step with professionalism and providing me with more than sufficient assistance, documentation, and knowledge on what would otherwise be a very confusing court situation. Her emails and responses to my questions were consistently punctual and thorough, offering surefire speedy solutions to any problems or obstacles that may have arisen.
I plan on contacting her for any more legal assistance I have in the future, and I recommend anyone else do the same!”
—Alex D., Pascagoula, MS
Outside the Courtroom
Outside her legal practice and teaching, Sarah enjoys drawing on her culinary background to cook for her spouse. She also appreciates quiet days in the country, time in her garden, and the company of their thoroughly spoiled pet, Mama Dog. These quieter pursuits provide a welcome balance to the pace and demands of her professional work.
Credentials and Professional Background
Education and Honors
Juris Doctor, magna cum laude
University of Mississippi School of Law, 2022
Dean’s Distinguished Service Award
Bobby Wood Clinical Programs Award
Association of American Law Schools Pro Bono Honor Roll
Trial Advocacy Board
Honor Council Representative, Class of 2022
Interprofessional Education Board: winning counsel for plaintiff in 2020 and defense in 2021, with “Best of Law” recognition in 2021
Master of Arts in General Linguistics
University at Buffalo, 2017
Bachelor of Science in Education
Baylor University, 2006
Selected Professional Experience
Founder and Managing Attorney — Law Firm | Bufete Legal, Amory, Mississippi, 2022–Present
Adjunct Professor of Law — University of Mississippi School of Law, 2023–Present; teaches Immigration Law and Spanish for Lawyers
Faculty Supervisor — Immigration Law Teaching, Advocacy, and Experiential Learning Practicum, University of Mississippi School of Law, 2026
Registered Spanish Court Interpreter — Mississippi Administrative Office of Courts, 2022–2025
Limited Practice Attorney — Lowndes County District Attorney’s Office, 2022
Limited Practice Attorney — MacArthur Justice Center, 2021–2022
Buffalo Public Interest Law Program Fellow — ACLU of Georgia, 2020
Bar and Court Admissions
Mississippi Supreme Court and all Mississippi state courts
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
Executive Office for Immigration Review attorney registration for practice before U.S. Immigration Courts
Selected Leadership and Professional Service
Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Mid-South Chapter
Co-Founder and President, Board of Directors, TRANS Program
Member, Board of Advisors, LGBTQ Justice Project, ACLU of Mississippi
Attorney Mentor, 2026 Mississippi Rural Clerkship Program, Mississippi Bar and Access to Justice
Volunteer Attorney and Student Participation Facilitator, First Chancery Court District Civil Legal Clinics
Selected Scholarship and Publications
Sarah’s scholarship reflects the intersection of law, language, education, and civil rights.
“An Unfair Law Compounding the Trifecta of Incongruence of Transgender Identity” (2021), a contribution to Banished to the Bleachers on the Basis of Sex: How the Mississippi Fairness Act Is Anything but Fair, published online by the Mississippi Law Journal.
“Developing and Analyzing Form and Function of L2 Integrated Performance Assessments for Diverse Learners: Questioning the Questions” (2019), in Engaging Teacher Candidates and Language Learners With Authentic Practice, edited by Chesla Ann Lenkaitis and Shannon M. Hilliker, pp. 252–287, IGI Global.