Our People

Sarah Hunt

Partner

Geneva

Cours de Rive 13-15
6th Floor
1204 Geneva
Switzerland

Office Telephone: +41 (0)22 322 4800
Office Fax: +41 (0)22 322 4888

Direct Dial (Geneva): +41 (0)22 322 4816

Mobile: +41 (0)79 281 5875

sarah.hunt@hfw.com Download VCard

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More about Sarah

Sarah acts for a range of trading companies, charterers and owners in shipping and international trade disputes. Her work involves petroleum products, gasoil, cement, coal, bitumen, steel and other metals, ethanol and soft commodities. She has particular experience in sale contracts, charterparties, bills of lading, LC / trade finance issues and has been successful in numerous claims involving arbitration or litigation. Her recent matters include the widely reported Taurus v SOMO, in which the Supreme Court overturned the Power Curber decision and held that there is no special rule relating to debts represented by LCs. Henceforth, an LC can be arrested where the debtor is, i.e. where the LC is opened; see: http://www.hfw.com/Supreme-Court-clarifies-situs-of-debts-represented-by-letters-of-credit.

Sarah frequently deals with trading cases involving banking or physical fraud. She arrests assets and bank accounts as part of multi-jurisdictional solutions using English, Swiss and other legal remedies to bring criminal and civil claims against defaulting and/or fraudulent counterparties misusing contracts, final and binding certificates or financial instruments.

She advises banks, shipping and trading companies on a range of complex compliance and export control issues focusing on US, EU and Swiss sanctions. She was part of the HFW team awarded the World ECR Sanction Law Firm of the Year (Europe) in 2017.

Sarah is regularly recognised by Legal 500 EMEA, with clients praising her and the team's "fast response", "very deep and sound expertise in commodities and shipping" and ability to "transmit complex matters in a comprehensive language which can be understood also by someone who is not a legal expert."

Sarah is qualified in New South Wales (Australia) and is registered with the Foreign Section of the Ordre des Avocats de Genève.

For our Common Issues in Oil Trading Articles, see:

Commodities: Common Issues in Oil Trading Contracts, Part 1: Potential Pitfalls in Contract Formation

Commodities: Common Issues in Oil Trading Contracts, Part 2: Time for Delivery & Laycan

Commodities: Common Issues in Oil Trading Contracts, Part 3: Demurrage in Sales Contracts

We are working with clients across our international network to help them minimise the impact of COVID-19 on their business and to prepare for what's next. To find out more, visit our dedicated Covid-19 hub.

Geneva

Geneva is probably the most important centre in the world for physical commodity trading. As a result it is not only home to a lot of trading companies but it is also a very important centre for trade finance and for chartering. Since our Geneva office opened in 2010, it has been integral to the continued development of the firm's world-renowned shipping and commodities practices. HFW is committed to supporting the trading and shipping interests active in Switzerland and this is reflected in the teaching and seminars our lawyers undertake in Geneva, Zug, Lugano and elsewhere.

The lawyers in our Geneva office include Partners and Associates qualified in England & Wales, Switzerland, Canada, France and Australia, who are familiar with the local business environment and have extensive experience in the legal systems within which their clients operate.