Call: 1997 | Silk: 2023
Sarah undertakes high value, complex and sensitive personal injury claims of all kinds, acting both for claimants and for defendants. As well as being lauded by the directories for her courtroom advocacy and legal knowledge, she is well known to leading firms as a skilled negotiator, and is valued by clients for her sensitive handling of difficult cases.
In the last year Sarah has represented claimants in claims in respect of catastrophic injuries arising from accidents at work, leisure accidents, and road traffic accidents, as well as accidents abroad; and has defended similar claims, often involving spinal injuries of the utmost severity and/or serious brain injuries. She has conducted a number of cases raising issues of borderline and fluctuating capacity. She is also experienced in claims of the utmost sensitivity raising allegations of sexual assault.
Sarah specialises in travel law claims, including claims under the Package Travel Regulations 2018, the Athens and Montreal Conventions, and at common law; she also has a particular expertise in all aspects of conflict of law and jurisdiction. Together with other team members Matthew Chapman KC, Jack Harding, Dominique Smith, Thomas Yarrow and Henk Soede, Sarah co-wrote the most recent editions of Saggerson on Travel Law and Litigation, the leading textbook in this field. Sarah also finds the time to update the chapter of the Encyclopaedia of Insurance Law on the Motor Insurers’ Bureau.
Sarah was invited to join the Consultative Group of Experts to the UNWTO Committee for the Development of an International Code for the Protection of Tourists; the Code has now been adopted by the UNWTO and is being implemented internationally. In addition, she is an academic collaborator of the UNWTO Observatory for Latin America and the Carribean. She has also been co-opted to the Admiralty Court Users’ Committee as a representative of the personal injury Bar.
Sarah supports her Inn’s efforts to expand membership of the Bar more equitably, and has acted as a judge in the inter-Inns debating competition at both quarter- and semi-final stages. She is taking her interest in supporting students further with involvement in the Young Citizens mock trial scheme and other educational outreach, including marking the Inner Temple Students Association essay competition and qualifying as an advocacy trainer. She is also a qualified exam invigilator.
Sarah undertakes work in all areas of cross border work, encompassing claims involving issues of private international law, package holidays, international carriage, contractual recovery and cross border clinical negligence, and her caseload reflects this breadth of practice.
Interplay between Articles 20 and 21 of the Montreal Convention and the provisions on contributory negligence and limitation of liability.
Cancellation and/or alteration of itinerary in a package holiday case.
Jurisdiction in a cross border road traffic claim.
The appropriate approach to applications for permission to extend the lifetime of a claim form for service outside the jurisdiction.
Leading case on jurisdiction and residence in the case of members of the armed forces posted overseas.
Jurisdiction in a cross border road traffic claim.
Residence and jurisdiction in a cross border road traffic claim.
A high value personal injury claim in which the governing law was unclear and the interplay between English and South Carolinian law and practice was highly complex.
Service out of the jurisdiction in a recovery claim by a tour operator against a bed bank.
Applicability of the Athens Convention in a disembarkation case.
Jurisdiction in a cross border consumer claim.
Liability in a high value cross border maritime claim.
Applicability of the Athens Convention in a disembarkation case.
Service outside the jurisdiction.
Leading case on forum non conveniens in cases with a Scottish connection.
Leading case on local standards in package holiday claims.
Local standards in package holiday claims.
Leading case on assumption of responsibility for guides in package holiday claims.
Definition of ‘seagoing vessel’ for the purposes of the Athens Convention.
Leading case on quantification of damages in holiday claims.
Liability of a tour operator for excursions.
Applicability and entry into force of the Rome II Regulation in a cross border road traffic claim.
Sarah acts for both claimants and defendants in claims involving injuries of the utmost severity and those cases involving novel points of law.
Highly sensitive case arising from an alleged sexual assault in the workplace, requiring extremely sensitive handling.
£8 million claim arising out of a road traffic accident involving a motorcyclist and two cars, liability for which was in dispute, and complicated by subsequent clinical negligence in the treatment of resulting injuries. The claimant does not have capacity.
£2 million claim involving complex multiple injuries arising from a road traffic accident as a result of which the claimant will not work again. The claimant has capacity.
£4 million claim involving a claimant with a severe brain injury and fluctuating capacity.
Regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB)
Regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate.
View my privacy policy.
Regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB)
Regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate.
View my privacy policy.
Deka Chambers: 5 Norwich Street, London EC4A 1DR