Sarah is an associate in the Banking and Finance Team at Hugh James.
Sarah joined Hugh James in 2016, having trained and practiced as a Barrister and Solicitor in Australia where she worked primarily in property and development for private clients and public bodies, including many city and regional local authorities. In her previous role, she has prepared and negotiated residential and commercial leases and licences, development agreements, easements, restrictive covenants, charges, title notifications, documentation to secure conditions of planning and subdivision approvals, for statutory acquisition of land and for the development of other public infrastructure.
She has advised public and private clients on a range of property and development issues, including adverse possession claims, title matters, planning and development conditions, easements, complex acquisitions and land swaps, statutory powers and rights under leases and various contracts.
Sarah now works primarily in real estate finance, advising commercial lenders and undertaking due diligence against secured properties. She works principally for Metro Bank PLC, but also advises a number of other lenders and clearing banks on loans secured against a diverse range of commercial properties including residential investment properties and portfolios, petrol stations, retail shops, bars, hotels, pubs and restaurants, car dealerships, rural sites, care homes, medical/dental surgeries, industrial sites, student housing and new build developments and estates.
Experience
- Advising on a circa £17.25m loan secured by a large regional shopping centre involving an overseas borrower.
- Advising on a circa £7.5m loan to refinance and acquire of 29 flats.
- Advising on a circa £9.5m loan secured against three retail food franchises in prominent London locations.
- Advising on a circa £10.5m loan to three group companies.
- Advising on a circa £18m loan involving nine industrial sites and a complex group restructure, with some overseas security providers.
Education
- Bachelor of Arts (Politics) (BA), The University of Western Australia
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB), The University of Western Australia
- Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (G. Dip Legal Practice), The College of Law, Perth, Western Australia
- Master of Laws (LLM), The University of Western Australia.
Career History
- Trained at McLeods Barristers & Solicitors, Perth, Western Australia
- Admitted as a Barrister & Solicitor in 2014
- Worked as a Solicitor 2014-2015 at McLeods Barristers & Solicitors