Sarah Sussman

Senior associate (New Zealand qualified)

Sarah Sussman

Senior associate (New Zealand qualified)

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+44 (0)20 7753 7853

London

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Sarah is a senior associate in the contentious private client team in London. Her extensive experience spans a broad range of private client matters, with a particular focus on contentious trust and estate issues, as well as wealth management for high-net-worth individuals and families.

She is experienced in dealing with a variety of trust, wills, and estate disputes including handling breach of trust claims against trustees and executors, applications to remove and replace trustees and executors, blessing applications, and challenges to wills. Her expertise includes handling complex multi-jurisdictional disputes with cross-border components.

I am a contentious private client lawyer with experience in advising high-net-worth individuals and families with their legal issues, in particular those with multijurisdictional and offshore elements. I am sought out for my ability to give fast, practical, and commercially driven advice.

Sarah Sussman, Senior associate (New Zealand qualified)

Before joining Penningtons Manches Cooper, Sarah practiced in New Zealand and the Cayman Islands to gain international and offshore legal experience. She has acted as lead counsel in the High Court and junior counsel in the Court of Appeal of New Zealand. In the Cayman Islands Sarah has appeared as junior counsel in the Grand Court and Court of Appeal. She is admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand, and, additionally, admitted to practice in the Cayman Islands. Sarah is an active member of the Contentious Trusts Association and is currently working towards a STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates, which includes an advanced certificate in trust disputes.

Recent work highlights

Deed of retirement, appointment, and indemnity

Acting for a trustee company in relation to its replacement with a Cayman Islands trustee and the transfer of trust assets, amidst fraud investigations by the Serious Fraud Office including advising on the terms of the deed of retirement, appointment, and indemnity.

Distribution of funds to global beneficiaries

Representing one of two co-executors during the winding up of the estate of a high-net-worth individual, navigating discord between the co-executors and the charitable organization beneficiaries of the estate.

Artist’s dispute with professional trustee

Assisting the professional trustee of a trust holding a collection of works by a renowned New Zealand artist, who was both non-verbal and illiterate, in a dispute with the artist’s co-trustee sister.

Replacement of trustees by protector

Advising the England and Wales-domiciled settlor and protector of several offshore trusts in relation to litigation to determine whether particular deeds were validly executed in light of allegations as to incapacity and unfitness to act.

Breach of trust

Defending the Singapore-based director of a registered trustee company against breach of duty claims made by a Greek oligarch.

Offshore fraud and asset tracing

Acting for the applicants in respect of an arbitral award for $1.65 billion to make successful applications for: recognition and enforcement of the award in the Cayman Islands; an emergency injunction; and the appointment of receivers over the frozen assets.

Difficult beneficiaries

Advising New Zealand’s largest statutory trustee company on various contentious matters including winding up estates with difficult beneficiaries.

Contentious, multijurisdictional estate

Acting for the independent administrator in England and Wales to a large, multijurisdictional estate including on an application to the court for blessing orders and a determination as to the operation and effect of Sharia law in the estate administration.

Replacement of executors

Acting for the executor and beneficiary of an estate across England and Wales and Pakistan in the context of an application to remove executors and appoint an independent administrator.

Fraudulent will

Acting for the allegedly rightful beneficiary of an estate in the context of an allegedly fraudulent will and an application for the revocation of a grant of probate.

Difficult beneficiaries

Advising New Zealand’s largest statutory trustee company on various contentious matters including winding up estates with difficult beneficiaries.

Contentious, multijurisdictional estate

Acting for the independent administrator in England and Wales to a large, multijurisdictional estate including on an application to the court for blessing orders and a determination as to the operation and effect of Sharia law in the estate administration.

Replacement of executors

Acting for the executor and beneficiary of an estate across England and Wales and Pakistan in the context of an application to remove executors and appoint an independent administrator.

Fraudulent will

Acting for the allegedly rightful beneficiary of an estate in the context of an allegedly fraudulent will and an application for the revocation of a grant of probate.

What people are saying

The team has a strong international practice and contains a lot of knowledge.

Legal 500

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