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People

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 1926 - 2022

Portrait of Sara Stephens
Areas of expertise: Real estate litigation

Profile

Sara is an associate director in the real estate litigation team. She works with institutional landlords, investment funds and social housing landlords providing advice on building and estate asset management, building safety and service charges. Sara also has extensive experience of advising on a variety of other property disputes, including disrepair, possession and nuisance claims, as well as complex multi-party claims. 

She regularly writes for various industry journals and has had articles published in RICS Property Journal, Journal of Housing Law, Solicitors Journal and Legal Action Magazine. She has provided training for CLT and the Housing Law Practitioners Association, together with seminars and bespoke training sessions for clients and other property professionals. Sara is co-chair of the Law Society’s Housing Law Committee.

Recognised in The Legal 500, Sara is described as ‘great to work with. She is clever and practical when it comes to advising clients. She provides excellent client care and I would recommend her to friends or colleagues.’ She is also recognised in Chambers UK: ‘Sara Stephens handles very complicated matters and does it with ease and confidence.’

Recent work highlights

  • Acting for various large groups of leaseholders in respect of defects and building safety issues with their buildings, including fire safety defects.
  • Acting for purchasers of a £1.8 million newly built property with various build defects in their claim against the developers.
  • Acting for the freeholder of a mixed-use development in London in respect of contested forfeiture proceedings against a sub-lessee.
  • Advising an institutional landlord in respect of amending its section 20 consultation procedures.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC311575 and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 419867.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP