HFW

Commodities

Partner

Sarah acts for a range of trading companies, charterers and owners in shipping and international trade disputes. Her work involves petroleum products, crude, gasoil, cement, coal, bitumen, steel and ferrous as well as non-ferrous metals, ethanol and soft commodities including grains, soyabeans, oils and seeds, sugar, coffee and cocoa. Her most high-profile matter was Taurus v SOMO, in which the Supreme Court overturned the Power Curber decision and held that there is no special rule of jurisdiction relating to debts represented by LCs. She has successfully litigated or settled in favour of or to client satisfaction, all Commercial Court claims. Her litigation profile includes freezing orders arising out of various frauds, hedging losses, defaults on sale contracts (failure to perform), off-specification cargo quantum disputes and non-delivery disputes. Impressively, she has also recovered judgment sums awarded against recalcitrant defendants including a significant proportion of costs.

French, English