Sarah joined 20 Essex Street in October 2009 upon completion of pupillage. Prior to joining chambers she read law at Oxford University (B.C.L.), and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LL.B., First class).
She specialises in all areas of commercial law, including shipping, commodities, banking, insurance and reinsurance and arbitration. She has appeared in the High Court (the Commercial, Chancery and Admiralty Courts) and in the County Courts.
After joining Chambers she was instructed in the Fiona Trust litigation a case concerning claims made by two Russian state shipping companies against their former director-generals seeking damages of over US$850 million on the basis of wide-ranging allegations of fraud.
In 2010, she was instructed in a case involving allegations of professional negligence made against insurance brokers and in a confidential Formula 1 dispute. She was instructed in a second Formula 1 dispute in 2011.
Sarah has also been instructed in a number of shipping and commercial disputes, including a claim under the MIA 1906 that was ultimately heard in the Court of Appeal in the Spring. She has also independently advised on issues arising under the MIA 1906.
Sarah has very recently been instructed in various multi-million dollar arbitrations. In October 2011, she appeared as a junior in an ICC arbitration (led by Timothy Young Q.C.) concerning claims made under a contract for the management of an offshore oil rig. In January 2012, Sarah was instructed in four LMAA arbitrations (heard concurrently) that each involved questions of construction of shipbuilding contracts.
Sarah has been instructed in a number of shipbuilding disputes. She is currently instructed in a shipbuilding dispute concerning complex allegations of delay and a claim brought against a bank under a refund guarantee issued pursuant to a shipbuilding contract to be heard in the High Court in March.
Sarah regularly advises and drafts pleadings in arbitration and high court proceedings in a wide range of commercial matters including charterparty and bill of lading issues and in insurance & reinsurance matters. She has also advised and acted in relation to a number of contractual disputes.
In 2011 she spent 6 months working with a Norwegian Defence Club undertaking a variety of work; advising on bills of lading and charter party issues and drafting submissions for various London arbitrations.
