Sarah regularly deals with litigation involving

• the validity of Wills and trusts
• the rectification of Wills and trusts
• claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
• applications for the removal of personal representatives and trustees
• directions applications for or against personal representatives and trustees
• applications under the Variation of Trusts Act 1958
• the construction of Wills and trusts
• proprietary estoppel claims
• claims under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996
• disputes relating to the validity of gifts due to lack of capacity or the exercise of undue influence
• third party claims against estates and trusts
• breach of duty claims against and for personal representatives and trustees including the taking of accounts.

Sarah has very extensive experience of mediation and finds that her taxation expertise is particularly useful when advising as to the appropriate structures to be used for the compromise of disputes.

She also has extensive experience in dealing with non contentious probate and trust work of the utmost complexity including

• advising personal representatives and trustees in relation to the administration of estates or trusts
• advising on restructuring or termination of Will trusts and settlements
• advising personal representatives and trustees on their powers, duties and costs risks
• drafting Wills, trusts, Deeds of Variation, Deeds of Appointment and Advancement and trustee indemnities
• advising in relation to the taxation of Will trusts and settlements

Sarah is highly experienced at dealing with issues relating to mental capacity. As well as cases in the High Court, she also deals with property & affairs work in the Court of Protection including statutory Will applications, applications for permission to make gifts and contested deputyship applications.

Chambers and Partners (2024) - Chancery (Band 1) - "She is a chancery rock star, the cases she does are incredibly complex. Her brain is fantastic and her ability to retain information is phenomenal." "Sarah is a force to be reckoned with. Pointed in her advocacy when needed, calm and quiet when required, her experience means she can read people very well and she utilises her skills to great effect in court and in conference." "Sarah's ability to advise on tax as well as legal issues makes her the ideal choice for any complex estate or trust dispute. When in court she stands out with her advocacy and puts forward a very convincing case."

The Legal 500 (2024) - Chancery, Probate & Tax (Tier 1) - "A dynamic litigator who will fight hard for her clients when required, but also has a very commercial and practical side. Sarah is very thorough, incredibly knowledgeable and very reliable. Her cross-examination is always excellent."

Chambers and Partners: High Net Worth (2023) - Chancery: Traditional - National Leaders (outside London) (Band 1) - "Sarah Harrison is great at being really direct and getting to the crux of the issue. She is really great at handling difficult opponents and I would describe her as formidable." "Sarah is a force to be reckoned with! Her knowledge is second to none, and she is very good at plain talking and advising what route is best to progress with. I'd rather she was on my team than the other side!" "Sarah is a phenomenal barrister. She is highly knowledgeable and very practical."

Chambers and Partners (2023) - Chancery (Band 1) - "Sarah Harrison is a highly regarded chancery practitioner with a strong reputation in the North Eastern Bar. She focuses on contentious probate and disputed trust cases. She also has experience working on professional negligence claims, Court of Protection applications and tax matters."

The Legal 500 (2023) - Chancery, Probate & Tax (Tier 1) - "Sarah's ability to combine technical and academic knowledge of her specialism with pragmatic and strategic advice is second to none.'

Chambers and Partners (2022) - Chancery (Band 1) - "She's very bright and has a very strong legal brain but, and this is where she stands above others, contentious trust and probate often involves tax issues and she understands the tax consequences of whatever she is putting forward in as much detail as accountants."

The Legal 500 (2022) - Chancery, Probate & Tax (Tier 1) - "Sarah is brilliant - great to work with, very reassuring to have on your side, practical and commercial. A real expert."

Chambers and Partners (2021) - Chancery (Band 1) - "She handles cases fantastically." "She has a massive amount of knowledge; nothing fazes her and there are no points that she hasn't seen before."  

The Legal 500 (2021) - Chancery Probate & Tax (Tier 1) - "Sarah is forthright, extremely knowledgeable and articulate. She is good with clients, is able to get to the heart of the matter quickly and efficiently and inspires confidence. She is excellent in cross examination and maintains her composure under pressure."

Chambers and Partners (2020) - Chancery (Band 1) - 'Highly regarded chancery practitioner with a strong reputation in the North Eastern Bar. She focuses on contentious probate and disputed trust cases. She also has experience working on professional negligence claims, Court of Protection applications and tax matters. Strengths: "She is a formidable opponent; she always knows more than you do and she's a very good, technical lawyer." "She is very to the point, pragmatic and effective in cross-examination."  

The Legal 500 (2020) - Commercial, banking, insolvency and Chancery Law (Tier 2) - "Good with clients and has specialist probate knowledge.’  

Chambers and Partners (2019) - "Her advice is always thorough, very well considered, and complete. She never sits on the fence and always gives an actual opinion. She is very easy to work with and approachable." "She really quickly gets to crux of the matter, considers things you wouldn't have necessarily  thought of and has a really wide-ranging knowledge of the area. She is really good to get along with and has a good sense of humour."  

The Legal 500 (2018/2019) - "An expert in contentious probate cases."  

Chambers and Partners (2018) - "Extremely bright, tenacious and absolutely formidable. She is technically head and shoulders above other barristers and a ferocious advocate."  

The Legal 500 (2017) - "Extremely bright, ferocious, and very good on the details."

Chancery Bar Association, Northern Chancery Bar Association

Sarah’s most recent reported cases are

• KKL v Harrison [2020] EWCOP 28: contested deputyship application between competing professional applicants
• Re P [2021] WTLR 335: application to dispense with service of statutory Will application
• Delaforte v Flood [2021] WTLR 499: application for financial provision by dependent grand-daughter
• Sharpe v Dyson [2022] EWHC 2462: challenge to validity of Will on grounds of fraudulent calumny
• Wilmot Smith v Burstall [2023] EWHC 962 (disclosure of trust documents)
• Garbutt v Garbutt [2023] EWHC 1053 (Ch) (Will construction)
• Walsh v Spence [2023] EWHC 1661 (Ch) (disclosure of documents)

Leicester University

Sir Thomas More Bursary Denning Prize Lincoln’s Inn Student of the Year Megarry Landlord and Tenant Prize Hardwicke Scholarship