"Outstanding intellectual ability but is also incredibly user-friendly, which is a rare combination – she has a great tactical mind."

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2026: Chancery Traditional

“Sarah is absolutely outstanding. She is magnificently clever, sharp, and excellent at finding solutions on difficult issues.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2026: Chancery Traditional

“She is quite understated in her approach and very effective.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2026: Chancery Traditional

Sarah Haren KC is a well-liked silk who is commended for her calm and pragmatic approach. She is noted for her work on Inheritance Act cases and probate and the administration of estates.

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2026 – Court of Protection: Property & Affairs

“Sarah Haren is brilliant. She thinks about the bigger picture, is really reliable and super smart.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2026 – Court of Protection: Property & Affairs

Sarah Haren KC’s broad chancery practice encompasses both non-contentious and contentious work, and she is experienced in probate, inheritance claims and trusts matters. Haren has received instructions from a range of sources, including the Official Solicitor. She is also frequently called upon to act in disputed property, gift and statutory will applications.

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2026 – Partnership

“Sarah Haren is well prepared, excellent on her feet and superb at drafting.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2026 – Partnership

“Sarah Haren is an excellent barrister, who is understated but incredibly effective. She is co-author of one of the main texts on partnership law and is really excellent.”

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2026 – Partnership

Sarah Haren KC is noted by sources as an esteemed partnership practitioner. Her work covers a wide range of contentious and non-contentious chancery matters overlapping with partnership issues.

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2026 – Partnership

“Sarah has a brain to match anyone, and is not afraid to pin her colours to the mast. She is also so responsive and a pleasure to deal with.”

Legal 500 2024: Court of Protection

“Calm and unpretentious…always gets her point across in court”

Chambers & Partners 2024:

“Sarah is rigorous in legal analysis”

“Highly skilled”

“Her written and oral advocacy is excellent”

“Excellent at applying the law in a practical manner. She thinks outside of the box and offers practical and innovative solutions.”

Chambers & Partners HNW 2023 

“She is first class”

Sarah is an expert in challenges to wills and claims under the Inheritance (Family and Dependents) Act 1975. She regularly acts and advises in relation to disputes about trusts and estates, including claims of breach of duty and claims to remove trustees and personal representatives. She advises on the construction of difficult trusts and wills and on their rectification, and has frequently appeared in proceedings where construction and rectification are in issue.

Her notable cases in this area include:

Canarapen v Gauchenot [2025] EWHC 2728 (Ch)- successfully uphheld a deed of variation in a 3 day trial where its validity and effect was challenged by the defendant on the grounds of alleged non-delivery and mistake.

Spencer v Spencer [2023] EWHC 2050 (Ch)- a proprietary estoppel trial- one of the first cases to examine  the fashioning of an appropriate remedy after the Supreme Court’s decision in Guest v Guest.

Hinduja litigation- with Henry Legge KC represented members of the Hinduja family in long-running litigation about the family’s affairs.

Akyuz v Akyuz [2017] EWHC 2726 (Fam) concerning whether the court should stay or dismiss a claim to parentage, where there were parallel proceedings in another jurisdiction where parentage was in issue.

Graham-York v (1) York and another [2015] EWCA Civ 72 – successfully appearing for the respondent in the Court of Appeal.  The appeal concerned the principles applicable to the quantification of beneficial interests under a constructive trust of the family home and the circumstances in which the burden of a mortgage may be thrown on the share of one co-owner by virtue of an equity of exoneration

Simon v Byford [2014] EWCA Civ 280 [2014] WTLR 1097 – probate claim involving issues of testamentary capacity and want of knowledge and approval. Sarah represented the claimant at the three-day trial ([2013] EWHC 1490 (Ch)) and (with Penelope Reed QC) in the Court of Appeal

Pullan v Wilson [2014] EWHC 126 (Ch) [2014] WTLR 669 – three-day High Court action defending a challenge to trustee remuneration

Wood v Gorbunova [2013] EWHC 1935 (Ch) (with Henry Legge QC) – concerning receivers’ right of indemnity from an estate

JSC Aeroflot v Berezovsky [2013] EWHC 1210 (Ch) (with Henry Legge QC) – concerning the appointment of receivers to protect and collect in the deceased’s estate

Bennett v Petit [2013] EWHC 988 (Ch) – three-day probate action, establishing that a testator knew and approved his will despite being illiterate

Gorbunova v Berezovsky [2013] EWHC 76 (Ch) (with Robert Anderson QC) – acting for the former partner of the deceased oligarch, resisting an application to discharge proprietary injunctions

TWM Trust Corporation Ltd v Attorney-General and others [2010] All ER D 139 – construction of gift in will to unincorporated association

Re Horley Town Football Club [2006] EWHC 2356 – construction of a gift to an unincorporated association.

Sarah has a well-established reputation in relation to Court of Protection work and is recommended by the directories in this field. She accepts instructions on all aspects of property and affairs applications to the Court of Protection, including applications for statutory wills and gifts, and applications for the appointment or removal of deputies and attorneys. Her expertise in partnership and in capital taxation matters is often a particular asset in this field of her practice.

Hinduja litigation- acted for members of the Hinduja family in the Court of Protection proceedings concerning the affairs of the late SP Hinduja ([2022] EWCOP 36).

PBC v JMA [2018] EWCOP 19– acting for the Official Solicitor as litigation friend for P in this leading case authorising an application for a £7m gift for the purposes of IHT planning.

Sarah is happy to accept instructions in relation to all sorts of real property disputes and has a particular interest in claims arising out of proprietary estoppel and disputes about the co-owned family home. She appeared in an important Court of Appeal decision about the quantification of beneficial interests under a constructive trust of the family home.

Grijns v Grijns [2025] EWHC 1413 (Ch)- successfully defended a proprietary estoppel claim relating to a Chelsea property and obtaining substantial damages for trespass following a 6 day trial.

Spencer v Spencer [2023] EWHC 2050 (Ch)- a proprietary estoppel trial- one of the first cases to examine  the fashioning of an appropriate remedy after the Supreme Court’s decision in Guest v Guest.

Graham-York v (1) York and another [2015] EWCA Civ 72 – successfully appearing for the respondent in the Court of Appeal.  The appeal concerned the principles applicable to the quantification of beneficial interests under a constructive trust of the family home an.d the circumstances in which the burden of a mortgage may be thrown on the share of one co-owner by virtue of an equity of exoneration

Professional negligence disputes which arise out of the drafting of wills and trusts and in relation to administration of estates and tax-planning form a significant part of Sarah’s practice.

Lonsdale v Wedlake Bell LLP [2024] EWHC 712 (KB)- successfully represented the Claimants in resisting a summary judgment application in claims which arise out of negligent advice in the administration of a trust.

Smales v Lea [2011] EWCA Civ 1325 [2012] PNLR 8 – acting for the successful respondent at first instance and in the Court of Appeal in establishing a limitation defense to a claim for professional fees.

Sarah has a special interest in partnership matters and is co-author with Mark Blackett-Ord and Mathew Roper of the 7^th edition of Partnership Law published by Bloomsbury Professional in 2025.

Sarah regularly advises in relation to inheritance tax and capital gains tax, both in relation to future planning and in relation to the consequences of past transactions.

Sarah attended Oxford University, where she obtained a first class degree in Jurisprudence and a distinction in the BCL.

In 2024 Sarah was appointed a Visiting Professor by the University of Oxford on the recommendation of the Faculty of Law.  She holds this 3 year appointment while remaining in full-time practice at 5 Stone Buildings.

Sarah is a member of ACTAPS, the Association of Partnership Practitioners Court of Protection Bar Association and the Chancery Bar Association.

Sarah co-authored the 7^th edition of Partnership Law (Bloomsbury Professional) with Mark Blackett-Ord and Mathew Roper, published 2025 and volume 31 of Atkins’ Court Forms on Partnerships and Insolvency. She also contributed to volume 31 of the Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents on Partnerships.

Sarah gives talks and writes on areas of her practice.  A list of the webinars she has done for 5 Stone Buildings is here.

On 15th October 2021 Sarah Haren QC and Arabella Adams presented a webinar titled – Pitfalls in the administration of estates. A copy of the recording is available to view at your convenience by clicking here 

On 22nd June 2020 Sarah Haren and Rose Fetherstonhaugh recorded a webinar titled – Taking accounts.  A copy of the recording is available to view at your convenience by clicking here.

On 7th August 2020 Sarah Haren and David Rees QC recorded a webinar titled – Litigation friends.  A copy of the recording is available to view at your convenience by clicking here. 

On 19th February 2021 Sarah Haren and Simon Douglas recorded a webinar titled – Tax issues that may  arise in private litigation. A copy of the recording is available to view at your convenience by clicking here. 

Click here to view Sarah’s Privacy Notice.