Sara Jabbari

Overview

Sara Jabbari has a busy practice spanning all areas of property and landlord and tenant matters. She has a particular interest in rights affecting land, and the development of land for mixed commercial and residential use. She has acted in relation to disputes involving issues around restrictive covenants, adverse possession, the construction of leases, leasehold enfranchisement and lease extensions, rights of first refusal, service charges and rights to manage; often in relation to large-scale mixed use developments and residential schemes. Sara has also advised in relation to real estate finance schemes, where landlord and tenant issues have impacted on the structure and operation of the schemes, and she has experience in relation to property related professional indemnity claims.

During the course of her career, Sara has spent time as an employed barrister, practising in a top ranked City Real Estate Disputes team. Sara’s experience working within a law firm has given her a unique insight into the requirements and preferences of solicitors when instructing counsel. She has extensive experience in providing advisory and advocacy support to contentious and transactional real estate lawyers, as well as directly to clients, property and fund managers, and surveyors. Sara brings a pragmatic, commercial approach to her practice and is experienced in advising on strategic as well as complex legal issues.

Sara has a wealth of advocacy experience at all levels of the court system, and relishes appearing in court.

Before coming to the Bar, Sara was an Associate Lecturer at the University of Manchester. She holds a doctorate in law (her PhD thesis compared Courts’ approach to the construction of terms in patent claims with other legal documents, such as leases and contracts). She brings to her career at the Bar her love of making arguments about legal and technical details.

Outside of court, Sara is a fitness enthusiast much to the dismay of her lazy goldendoodle who has the privilege of keeping her company on long runs.

Sara accepts instructions across all areas of property law.

Real Property and Nuisance

Sara acts in respect of a range of real property disputes, including actions in relation to development land; compulsory purchase; adverse possession claims; restrictive covenants; easements (including rights to light); profits-a-prendre; land registration; rectification claims; boundary disputes; and claims in restitution (e.g. for the return of a deposit upon failure to complete contract for sale).

Commercial Landlord & Tenant

Sara acts in connection with commercial landlord and tenant disputes and accepts instructions across all related matters, including: opposed and unopposed lease renewals; interim and terminal dilapidations; landlord and tenant issues arising out of insolvency; enforceability of leasehold covenants; service charge disputes; enforceability of break clauses; validity of notices.

Residential Landlord & Tenant

Sara acts in relation to a broad range of residential landlord and tenant disputes including: rights of first refusal; enfranchisement; service charge disputes; rights to manage and appointment of manager claims; actions relating to breach and enforcement and of lease covenants; possession claims, including claims under the Rent Act 1977; rent review; right to rent (Immigration Act 2014); construction of leases; service of notices.

Professional negligence

Sara acts in relation to professional negligence claims relating to a range of property matters. Sara has advised in relation to negligence claims arising out of advice and service of enfranchisement notices; claims relating to overriding interests (and the failure to investigate/procure waivers in respect thereof); and claims against architects/surveyors.