"Outstanding intellectual ability but is also incredibly user-friendly, which is a rare combination – she has a great tactical mind."

Legal 500 2024: Court of Protection

“Calm and unpretentious…always gets her point across in court”

Chambers & Partners 2024:

“Sarah is rigorous in legal analysis”

“Highly skilled”

“Her written and oral advocacy is excellent”

“Excellent at applying the law in a practical manner. She thinks outside of the box and offers practical and innovative solutions.”

Chambers & Partners HNW 2023 

“She is first class”

Legal 500 2020

“Gets a good feel for the case from the get-go and is good with clients pre-trial and during settlement negotiations.”

“Outstanding intellectual ability but is also incredibly user-friendly, which is a rare combination – she has a great tactical mind.”

Chambers and Partners UK Bar 2020

“She is always very thoroughly prepared and has the ear of the court.”

“She makes her points in a demonstrative and hard-hitting style.”

“Extremely knowledgeable, down to earth and approachable in her style.”

“Very straightforward in her advocacy, sensible, measured and calm. She is tough when needed and doesn’t give up easily.”

“She has an authoritative manner that reassures clients.”

“An exceptionally gifted barrister.”

“She is sensible and pragmatic.”

Sarah is an expert in challenges to wills and claims under the Inheritance (Family and Dependents) Act 1975. She regularly acts and advises in relation to disputes about trusts and estates, including claims of breach of duty and claims to remove trustees and personal representatives. She advises on the construction of difficult trusts and wills and on their rectification, and has frequently appeared in proceedings where construction and rectification are in issue.

Her notable cases in this area include:

Spencer v Spencer [2023] EWHC 2050 (Ch)- a proprietary estoppel trial- one of the first cases to examine  the fashioning of an appropriate remedy after the Supreme Court’s decision in Guest v Guest.

Hinduja litigation- with Henry Legge KC represented members of the Hinduja family in long-running litigation about the family’s affairs.

Akyuz v Akyuz [2017] EWHC 2726 (Fam) concerning whether the court should stay or dismiss a claim to parentage, where there were parallel proceedings in another jurisdiction where parentage was in issue.

Graham-York v (1) York and another [2015] EWCA Civ 72 – successfully appearing for the respondent in the Court of Appeal.  The appeal concerned the principles applicable to the quantification of beneficial interests under a constructive trust of the family home and the circumstances in which the burden of a mortgage may be thrown on the share of one co-owner by virtue of an equity of exoneration

Simon v Byford [2014] EWCA Civ 280 [2014] WTLR 1097 – probate claim involving issues of testamentary capacity and want of knowledge and approval. Sarah represented the claimant at the three-day trial ([2013] EWHC 1490 (Ch)) and (with Penelope Reed QC) in the Court of Appeal

Pullan v Wilson [2014] EWHC 126 (Ch) [2014] WTLR 669 – three-day High Court action defending a challenge to trustee remuneration

Wood v Gorbunova [2013] EWHC 1935 (Ch) (with Henry Legge QC) – concerning receivers’ right of indemnity from an estate

JSC Aeroflot v Berezovsky [2013] EWHC 1210 (Ch) (with Henry Legge QC) – concerning the appointment of receivers to protect and collect in the deceased’s estate

Bennett v Petit [2013] EWHC 988 (Ch) – three-day probate action, establishing that a testator knew and approved his will despite being illiterate

Gorbunova v Berezovsky [2013] EWHC 76 (Ch) (with Robert Anderson QC) – acting for the former partner of the deceased oligarch, resisting an application to discharge proprietary injunctions

TWM Trust Corporation Ltd v Attorney-General and others [2010] All ER D 139 – construction of gift in will to unincorporated association

Re Horley Town Football Club [2006] EWHC 2356 – construction of a gift to an unincorporated association.

Sarah has a well-established reputation in relation to Court of Protection work and is recommended by the directories in this field. She accepts instructions on all aspects of property and affairs applications to the Court of Protection, including applications for statutory wills and gifts, and applications for the appointment or removal of deputies and attorneys. Her expertise in partnership and in capital taxation matters is often a particular asset in this field of her practice.

Hinduja litigation- acted for members of the Hinduja family in the Court of Protection proceedings concerning the affairs of the late SP Hinduja ([2022] EWCOP 36).

PBC v JMA [2018] EWCOP 19– acting for the Official Solicitor as litigation friend for P in this leading case authorising an application for a £7m gift for the purposes of IHT planning.

Sarah is happy to accept instructions in relation to all sorts of real property disputes and has a particular interest in claims arising out of proprietary estoppel and disputes about the co-owned family home. She appeared in an important Court of Appeal decision about the quantification of beneficial interests under a constructive trust of the family home.

Spencer v Spencer [2023] EWHC 2050 (Ch)- a proprietary estoppel trial- one of the first cases to examine  the fashioning of an appropriate remedy after the Supreme Court’s decision in Guest v Guest.

Graham-York v (1) York and another [2015] EWCA Civ 72 – successfully appearing for the respondent in the Court of Appeal.  The appeal concerned the principles applicable to the quantification of beneficial interests under a constructive trust of the family home an.d the circumstances in which the burden of a mortgage may be thrown on the share of one co-owner by virtue of an equity of exoneration

Professional negligence disputes which arise out of the drafting of wills and trusts and in relation to administration of estates and tax-planning form a significant part of Sarah’s practice.

Lonsdale v Wedlake Bell LLP [2024] EWHC 712 (KB)- successfully represented the Claimants in resisting a summary judgment application in claims which arise out of negligent advice in the administration of a trust.

Smales v Lea [2011] EWCA Civ 1325 [2012] PNLR 8 – acting for the successful respondent at first instance and in the Court of Appeal in establishing a limitation defense to a claim for professional fees.

Sarah has a special interest in partnership matters and is a co-author with Mark Blackett-Ord of the 6th edition of Partnership Law, published by Bloomsbury Publishing in 2015.

Sarah regularly advises in relation to inheritance tax and capital gains tax, both in relation to future planning and in relation to the consequences of past transactions.

Sarah attended Oxford University, where she obtained a first class degree in Jurisprudence and a distinction in the BCL.

Sarah is a member of ACTAPS, the Association of Partnership Practitioners and the Chancery Bar Association.

Sarah co-authored the sixth edition of Partnership Law (Bloomsbury) with Mark Blackett-Ord, published in 2020, volume 31 of Atkins’ Court Forms on Partnerships and Insolvency. She also contributed to volume 31 of the Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents on Partnerships.

Sarah gives talks and writes on areas of her practice.  A list of the webinars she has done for 5 Stone Buildings is here.

On 15th October 2021 Sarah Haren QC and Arabella Adams presented a webinar titled – Pitfalls in the administration of estates. A copy of the recording is available to view at your convenience by clicking here 

On 22nd June 2020 Sarah Haren and Rose Fetherstonhaugh recorded a webinar titled – Taking accounts.  A copy of the recording is available to view at your convenience by clicking here.

On 7th August 2020 Sarah Haren and David Rees QC recorded a webinar titled – Litigation friends.  A copy of the recording is available to view at your convenience by clicking here. 

On 3rd November 2020 Sarah Haren took part in the 5 Stone Buildings Careers webinar. A copy of the recording is available to view at your convenience by clicking here. 

On 19th February 2021 Sarah Haren and Simon Douglas recorded a webinar titled – Tax issues that may  arise in private litigation. A copy of the recording is available to view at your convenience by clicking here. 

Click here to view Sarah’s Privacy Notice.