Eversheds Sutherland

Sarah is a Partner in our Inquiries and Investigations team.  She has a particular interest in IT systems and project management. Sarah is a member of our Central Government team.

As a partner in the Inquiries and Investigations group, Sarah has held higher level security clearance (Developed Vetted clearance) and is conversant with the protocols for handling protectively marked material.  Sarah had a project management role on the Rosemary Nelson Public Inquiry team for over 5 years, as well as considerable involvement in the evidence gathering process. Sarah also had a lead role in our work for the Baha Mousa Inquiry. She has liaised with and interviewed a wide range of witnesses through her work on public inquiries, including politicians, lawyers, senior civil servants, police officers, members of the armed forces and members of the security service. Sarah had a key role in setting up Eversheds IT and internal processes on both of these inquiries. She liaised with the Inquiry teams on a daily basis, providing the Inquiry with regular updates on general progress and the nature of the evidence being collated.

Sarah acted, with Peter Jones, for the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime in the Leveson Inquiry, and assisted the Treasury Solicitor team at the request of Lord Justice Leveson to train those operating the Merrills IT system.

Sarah was Deputy Solicitor to the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry. Sarah's role involved advising the Inquiry's Secretariat team and the Chairman on procedural and project management matters, avoiding adjournments and managing the Eversheds team. Sarah was instrumental in developing and managing the bespoke IT systems used by the Mid Staffordshire Inquiry to manage the Inquiry's rolling timetable. Eversheds were awarded 2nd place in the Financial Times awards for innovation in recognition of these systems which ensured that the Inquiry finished in record time.

Sarah led a team appointed by Birmingham City Counsel to assist and advise an independent investigator (Mr Ian Kershaw) on the Trojan Horse Inquiry. Sarah and the team were nominated for this year's Legal Business Awards "Litigation Team of the Year" award.

Sarah is also currently leading a team of lawyers acting as Solicitors to the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry in Jersey.

Sarah has had a project management role on all Eversheds' public inquiry and disciplinary work, which has involved supervising large cross office teams, and has recently led in that capacity on a large mis-selling investigation on behalf of Barclays Bank, involving over 100 lawyers.

Sarah sits as a Legal Advisor to the Conduct Committee of the National College for Teaching and Leadership.  She is Prince2 Qualified (project management qualification).Sarah is a Partner in our Litigation and Dispute Management group. She specialises in general commercial litigation and is a member of the Inquiries and Investigations group.

Partner