Sarah Haan

Sarah Haan is a Professor at Washington and Lee University School of Law, specializing in corporate governance, shareholder activism, and the intersection of law with gender and political economy. Her work examines historical and contemporary dynamics of corporate democracy, board diversity, and regulatory frameworks.

• Key Roles: Corporate Law Professor, Johnson Professorship recipient
• Affiliations: Center for Poetic Research, Mudd Center for Ethics

Haan's research focuses on the historical exclusion of women from corporate leadership, shareholder voting rights, and the political purpose of corporations. She analyzes how social movements and legal systems shape corporate accountability.

Her recent articles explore climate disclosure under the First Amendment, the ESG movement's impact on governance, and the democratization of shareholding. Haan has presented at the Center for American Progress (CAP) and been cited in national legal discourse.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Class of 1958 Uncas and Anne McThenia Term Professorship (2022)
  • Law Faculty Fellowships (2023)
  • Work cited in Fifth Circuit Opinion (2024)

Haan contributes to debates on corporate speech, campaign finance deregulation, and the future of board governance, blending historical analysis with modern legal challenges.