„The experience I have gained over the past years through numerous extensive investigations and liability proceedings enables me to navigate companies and their board members safely through complex crisis situations, and to develop viable solutions together with them.“
Dr. Sarah Johnen advises management and supervisory boards of German and international companies on internal and regulatory investigations. A particular focus of her practice is strategic crisis management, as well as the assessment and assertion of board member liability claims and D&O coverage.
She advises managing directors as well as members of executive and supervisory boards on their organizational and supervisory duties, on defending against board member liability claims, and in connection with regulatory and compliance investigations.
She is listed by WirtschaftsWoche as a “Highly Recommended Lawyer” in the field of compliance law and was recognized by the F.A.Z. Institute as a Top Lawyer for 2027 in the areas of white collar crime and tax criminal law, commercial and corporate law, and litigation (compliance & corporate governance). The Legal 500 Germany describes her as a key contact for corporate governance issues.
“An extremely meticulous lawyer with a very good feel for the needs of a large corporation.” Legal500
Sprachen:
Germand and English.
Expertise: Internal investigations, External investigations, Government investigations, Crisis management
Short vita.
- Studied law in Münster, pursued doctoral studies in Hamburg, and earned a master’s degree in Düsseldorf
- 2013–2017 Worked as a research assistant and legal clerk at various international commercial law firms in Düsseldorf and Washington, D.C.
- 2018 Admitted to the bar and began her career at an international law firm
- 2026 Joined Pohlmann & Company as a partner
Memberships.
- WisteV Association for White-Collar Crime Law
- Woman’s White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA)
- JuWiSt e.V. – Women Lawyers in Economic and Tax Criminal Law
Selected Mandates.
- Investigating a whistleblower report regarding inappropriate conduct of an executive at the German subsidiary of an international technology group
- Conducting an internal investigation as well as assessing and asserting board member liability and coverage claims on behalf of the Supervisory Board of Continental AG*
- Advising the supervisory board of an international bank regarding possible misconduct by a member of the executive board*
- Advising a global private equity firm on criminal investigations against a high-ranking executive of a target company *
- Advising a multinational industrial technology company on allegations of corruption in connection with its subsidiary in China*
- Advising a global investment management firm on the review of decisions made by the management of one of its joint ventures that had led to financial difficulties*
- Advising the supervisory board of a multinational manufacturer of industrial goods on an internal investigation into allegations of fraud, violations of food safety regulations, and related corporate governance issues*
- Advising a global semiconductor developer in connection with an internal investigation and the respective consequence management following a cyberattack*
- Advising the Executive Board of Daimler AG (now Mercedes-Benz AG) on an internal investigation regarding diesel emissions, as well as on corporate governance aspects of decisions concerning cross-border investigations and litigation*
- Advising the board of directors of a Middle East-based developer and operator of power generation facilities on an internal investigation into allegations of fraud, bribery, and corruption in connection with an energy project in Southeast Asia*
- Advising a multinational company in the logistics industry on several internal investigations into alleged corruption and accounting irregularities*
- Advising the managing directors of a German investment company on the decision-making process regarding the assertion of claims against a D&O insurer*
- Advising the internal audit department of a multinational company in the logistics industry on an internal audit of alleged corruption and accounting irregularities*
- Advising a multinational shipping company on an internal investigation into alleged corruption*
*Case handled prior to joining Pohlmann & Company
