Overview

Sarah Passeri Korapaty is an attorney in Holland & Knight’s New York office, as well as a member of the firm's Litigation Practice Group.

Ms. Korapaty's practice focuses on aviation and complex litigation matters, with emphasis on aviation accident and transportation mass disaster litigation, transportation accident claims and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident investigations. Domestic and foreign transportation companies rely on Ms. Korapaty to represent them in all types of civil litigation, including claims involving wrongful death and personal injury, mass torts, product and premises liability, regulatory violations, breach of contract and commercial disputes.

Ms. Korapaty's notable experience includes:

  • representing air carriers in disputes arising out of the Flight 447 accident in the Atlantic Ocean, the Flight 1951 accident in Amsterdam and the Flight 6 accident in Dubai
  • securing dismissal of numerous types of passenger claims on preemption grounds under the Airline Deregulation Act, the Federal Aviation Act and accompanying regulations, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, and international treaties, including the Montreal Convention
  • assisting air carriers and manufacturers with investigations by the NTSB and foreign bodies, including non-fatal turbulence incidents, ground collisions, runway excursions, and fatal and non-fatal accidents
  • representing air carriers in class action litigation arising from COVID-19 pandemic refund policies

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Korapaty served as a law clerk to the Honorable Judge Anita Florio, New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department.

In addition, Ms. Korapaty has experience flying single-engine aircraft. She also is a competitive distance runner and has completed the Boston Marathon and New York City Marathon on multiple occasions.

Ms. Korapaty is the chair of the Women's Initiative for the New York office and the Public and Charitable Service partner for the Charlotte office.

Credentials

Education
  • Fordham University School of Law, J.D.
  • The George Washington University, B.A., French and International Affairs
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • New York
  • North Carolina
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Memberships
  • New York City Bar Association, Committee on Aeronautics, Treasurer, 2009-2017; Secretary, 2017-2019; Co-Chair, 2020-2023
  • International Air & Transportation Safety Bar Association (IATSBA), Emerging Leaders Section, Newsletter Editor, 2010-2014
  • International Aviation Women's Association (IAWA)
Honors & Awards
  • Chambers USA – America's Leading Business Lawyers guide, Transportation: NTSB Specialist, 2023
  • The Legal 500 USA, Transport: Aviation and Air Travel - Litigation and Regulation, 2021, 2022
  • Guide to the World's Leading Women in Business Law, Aviation - United States, Legal Media Group's Expert Guides, 2022
  • Who's Who Legal: Transport, Aviation Contentious, 2021, 2022 
  • Rising Star Aviation, Finalist, Euromoney Legal Media Group Rising Stars Americas Awards, 2020
  • Law360 Rising Star, Transportation, 2019
  • Legal Media Group's Americas Rising Star Award, Aviation, 2018, 2019
  • Guide to the World's Leading Lawyers, Legal Media Group's Expert Guides, Rising Star, Aviation, 2016
  • Holland & Knight Rising Star, Class of 2016
Spoken Languages
  • English
  • French
  • Japanese

Publications

Speaking Engagements

News