Twenty Essex

Arbitration; EU law/competition law; Private international law; Sale of goods; Shipping and commodities

Sara is “hugely experienced in the international arbitration field, both as counsel and arbitrator”.  This is complemented by a busy court practice as Leading Counsel.

A go-to Silk for cases raising difficult jurisdiction and private international law issues, Sara’s practice extends to commercial disputes, (particularly complex multi-jurisdictional disputes), EU law (with a focus on competition and private international law), shipping (including shipbuilding and ship sale disputes) and commodities, construction, energy, insurance (including marine insurance) and re-insurance.

She regularly appears as Counsel in international commercial arbitrations before the major international arbitral institutions, and also before trade specific bodies including the LMAA, GAFTA and FOSFA. Her arbitrations have covered areas such as shipping and commodities, ship building, super yachts, joint production oil agreements off-shore construction, gas supply agreements, share purchase agreements and licensing. She has been involved in virtual arbitration hearings as both Counsel and Arbitrator

She also acts as an expert witness on English law before foreign courts, including the French, Singaporean, Malaysian, Hong Kong and US Courts.

Sara also has experience in the rapidly changing world of commercial sanctions both as counsel and as arbitrator with a particular focus on Russian and Iranian sanctions in the transport and energy sectors, but also extending to more general commercial contexts.

Sara has appeared in the High Court, Competition Appeal Tribunal, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and Privy Council and before the European Court of Justice and Dubai International Financial Centre Courts. She is registered to appear before the Singapore International Commercial Court.

She accepts appointments as an arbitrator both in a variety of global seats. She has wide experience of both ad hoc and institutional arbitrations including LCIA, SIAC, CIETAC, UNCITRAL and LMAA.

Sara is also a Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) accredited mediator.

https://www.twentyessex.com/people/sara-masters/

French (fluent); Italian (conversational)