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Contact

Contact with chambers should be made through the Practice Management Team. They are happy to discuss client requirements and provide further information on such matters as the expertise and experience of individual members, fees, working practices and languages spoken. We have members able to work in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Greek and Chinese (Mandarin).

Outside working hours, a member of our team is always available to be contacted on matters of an urgent nature. Contact should be made using the Chambers main number or email.

For our Singapore office, for client enquiries please contact our Head of Business Development for Asia Pacific, Katie-Beth Jones, and for all other queries please contact Lynn Quek. Out of office hours calls will automatically be diverted to our practice management team in London.

London

20 Essex Street
London
WC2R 3AL

enquiries@twentyessex.com
t: +44 20 7842 1200

Singapore

28 Maxwell Road
#02-03 Maxwell Chambers Suites
Singapore 069120

singapore@twentyessex.com
t: +65 62257230

Contact

Contact with chambers should be made through the Practice Management Team. They are happy to discuss client requirements and provide further information on such matters as the expertise and experience of individual members, fees, working practices and languages spoken. We have members able to work in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Greek and Chinese (Mandarin).

Outside working hours, a member of our team is always available to be contacted on matters of an urgent nature. Contact should be made using the Chambers main number or email.

For our Singapore office, for client enquiries please contact our Head of Business Development for Asia Pacific, Katie-Beth Jones, and for all other queries please contact Lynn Quek. Out of office hours calls will automatically be diverted to our practice management team in London.

London

20 Essex Street
London
WC2R 3AL

enquiries@twentyessex.com
t: +44 20 7842 1200

Singapore

28 Maxwell Road
#02-03 Maxwell Chambers Suites
Singapore 069120

singapore@twentyessex.com
t: +65 62257230

Sarah Grimmer

Sarah Grimmer

Call: 1998 (New Zealand); 2023 (Solicitor, Hong Kong)

Languages: French

Contact Sarah directly: sgrimmer@twentyessex.com

Sarah joined Twenty Essex in August 2022 as a full-time arbitrator. She has over 20 years of experience in international commercial, investment treaty, and public international law dispute resolution proceedings.

She has built an impressive professional network spanning Europe, the United Kingdom, Asia Pacific (particularly Hong Kong, Mainland China, Singapore, South Korea), Russia, North America, and Australasia.

From 2016 to 2022, Sarah served in the highly public role of Secretary-General of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) during which time it was ranked the third most preferred institution in the world. Prior to that, she spent a decade at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague where she administered complex inter-State, investor-State, and contractual disputes involving States, State entities, and intergovernmental organisations.

Sarah has also worked at the ICC International Court of Arbitration (ICC) in Paris administering hundreds of commercial cases under the ICC Rules of Arbitration. Prior to that she worked at Shearman & Sterling LLP in Paris and in private practice in New Zealand.

Appointments in international arbitration and other proceedings

  • Presiding Arbitrator, PCA-administered UNCITRAL Rules arbitration under a bilateral investment treaty commenced by a claimant against a Latin American State.
  • Presiding Arbitrator, appointed by ICSID in an ad hoc arbitration between a Thai state entity and an Australian company under Thai law, Bangkok seat; dispute arising under a Petroleum Concession Agreement.
  • Presiding Arbitrator, HKIAC arbitration between Hong Kong and German parties under Hong Kong law, Hong Kong seat; dispute arising under cooperation agreements in audio-technology industry.
  • Presiding Arbitrator, SIAC arbitration between Thai, PRC, Hong Kong, and US parties under English law, Singapore seat; dispute under guarantee and share transfer agreements related to construction project.
  • Presiding Arbitrator, SIAC arbitration between Hong Kong parties under Singaporean law, Singapore seat; dispute arising under stock loan agreement in finance industry.
  • Presiding Arbitrator, SIAC arbitration between Spanish, Singaporean, and Indian parties under Indian law, Singapore seat; dispute arising under share purchase agreements in transport infrastructure industry.
  • Presiding Arbitrator, ad hoc arbitration between Mainland Chinese and Korean parties under Hong Kong law, Hong Kong seat, dispute arising under a supply agreement.
  • Sole Arbitrator, four LCIA arbitrations, London seat; dispute arising under power purchase agreements.
  • Sole Arbitrator, ad hoc arbitration between Singaporean and Vietnamese parties under Singaporean law, Singapore seat; dispute arising under sale and purchase agreement in F&B industry.
  • Emergency Arbitrator, SIAC arbitration between Singaporean and Indian parties under Indian law, Singapore seat; dispute under a contribution agreement in relation to a regulated fund.
  • Co-arbitrator, CAS arbitration between Korean and Moroccan parties; dispute regarding qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
  • Co-arbitrator, ICC arbitration between Swiss and Luxembourg companies under the laws of Luxembourg, Luxembourg seat; dispute under coal supply agreement involving Russian-related sanctions.
  • Co-arbitrator, ICC arbitration between Korean and French companies under French law, Paris seat; dispute arising under consultant agreement in aviation industry. {*}
  • Co-arbitrator, ICC arbitration between Taiwanese, French, and Dutch companies under English law, Singapore seat; purchase price adjustment dispute under a share purchase agreement.
  • Co-arbitrator, SIAC expedited arbitration between Luxembourg, U.S., and Korean parties under Korean law, Singapore seat; dispute under a hotel franchise agreement.
  • Co-arbitrator, SIAC arbitration between Korean and Vietnamese parties under Singaporean law, Singapore seat; M&A dispute arising in Vietnamese retail industry.
  • Co-arbitrator, ad hoc arbitration between companies incorporated in the Seychelles and the United Kingdom under Seychelles law; cryptocurrency dispute.
  • Co-arbitrator, HKIAC arbitration between parties from the Seychelles and St. Kitts and Nevis under Seychelles law, Hong Kong seat; cryptocurrency dispute.
  • Sole Panellist, ADNDRC domain name dispute under ICANN Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy commenced by global fashion company against Hong Kong entity.
  • Disciplinary Board Member, Special Tribunal for Lebanon Disciplinary Board for Defence Counsel and Victim Representatives (2015-2017).
  • Tribunal Member, Appeal Board of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (2014-2016).
  • Registrar, The Arctic Sunrise Arbitration (The Netherlands v Russian Federation) (UNCLOS) (2014).
  • Registrar, The Duzgit Integrity Arbitration (Malta v São Tomé e Príncipe) (UNCLOS) (2013).
  • Secretary, Review Panel Established under the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific Ocean (involving Russia, Chile, Chinese Taipei, EU, New Zealand) (2013).
  • Registrar, The ARA Libertad Arbitration (Argentina v Ghana) (UNCLOS) (2012).

 

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Sarah is super smart, conscientious, considered, and hard working. She takes nothing for granted and will work tirelessly to get the right answer. No airs or graces, a fierce intellect and highly charming. It is a powerful combination.

The Legal 500 UK Bar 2025

Sarah Grimmer is “one of the most well-known figures” in the region who brings “deep institutional experience”, “very sharp intellect” and “time and attention” to her practice.

Who's Who Legal 2023

Sarah Grimmer is ‘absolutely excellent’ report peers, and ‘combines academic intelligence with great management and people skills’.

Who's Who Legal 2022

Sarah Grimmer comes highly recommended as the ‘the savviest lawyer in any arbitral institution’ and is praised as being ‘truly world class’ by market sources.

Who's Who Legal 2021

Sarah Grimmer of the HKIAC is a highly accomplished arbitration specialist, with sources lauding her as ‘a very impressive lawyer’.

Who's Who Legal 2021

The ‘outstanding’ Sarah Grimmer of the HKIAC is ‘a truly great practitioner’. Her practice runs the gamut of investment treaty and contractual disputes.

Who's Who Legal 2020

Sarah Grimmer ‘is a sharp legal mind’ who draws praise for her ‘invaluable experience in the field’ of investment treaty and contractual disputes.

Who's Who Legal 2019

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