7 King's Bench Walk

Richard Sarll is a barrister specialising in commercial and admiralty law, with particular expertise in the shipping and insurance sectors.  He was nominated as junior of the year in the 2024 Legal 500 UK Bar Awards. His distinctively commercial approach to cases sees him ranked in the legal directories as a Leading Junior, noted in particular for his "real effort to understand the commercial realities of the business". Richard’s unique combination of professional qualifications adds significant value to a case, having sat exams of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and the Association of Average Adjusters. Whichever industry is involved, Richard is keen to listen to and absorb the views of the businesspeople instructing him regarding this as instrumental in persuading tribunals of the justice of their position.

Called to the Bar in 2005; 21 reported decisions as of 2024 (10 unled).  Recent notable cases include: The Brillante Virtuoso, involving war risks insurance; The Owners of the Ship “Stolt Kestrel” v The Owners of the Ship “Niyazi S” on the Admiralty Court’s in rem jurisdiction; The Longchamp, the first case concerning the York-Antwerp Rules to have been heard by an appellate court since 1993.  In 2024, Richard was made an External Member of the Institute of Maritime Law, Southampton University.  He is a co-author of Carver on Charterparties and a co-editor of Lowndes & Rudolf on General Average and York-Antwerp Rules.  He accepts appointments as an arbitrator.