Sarah has been involved in the financial services industry in Bermuda for over 19 years and was formerly a partner within the corporate practice of one of the largest law firms in Bermuda.

Immediately prior to joining Walkers, following an MBO, Sarah was a client director at Estera, a leading provider of offshore fiduciary and administration services, where she served as an independent director of companies covering a wide range of sectors, including Funds, ILS, Insurance (Captives, SPIs and ‘A’ Rated companies) and Commodities, and helped clients navigate best practices in corporate governance.

Admitted In:
Bermuda – Barrister and attorney, 2003
Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales (not practising), 1998

Qualifications:
LPC Commendation, College of Law Guildford, UK
LLB (Hons) in English Law/French Law, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK
Certificat de Droit Francais, Bordeaux University, France

Prior to moving from private practice to the provision of fiduciary services, Sarah was recognised as a leading practitioner in the Bermuda legal market, including the following:

2020 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Banking, Finance & Capital Markets, Corporate & Commercial and Insurance/Reinsurance

2015 IFLR 1000 - Leading Lawyer in Banking and Finance Capital Markets and Investment Funds categories, Bermuda

2014 Chambers Global – ‘A leader in her field’ in which sources say she’s ‘highly intelligent, responsive and pro-business'.

2014 Legal 500 Caribbean – Recommended

2012 IFLR 1000 – Leading Lawyer (Financial and Corporate), Bermuda

Sarah is the Chair of AIMA Bermuda. She is also a member of the Asset Management Committee of the Bermuda Business Development Agency. 

Sarah co-founded 100 Women in Finance, Bermuda.

ADVISORY

• An Update on the Offshore Funds Landscape - There have been a number of changes to the offshore funds landscape in recent months. Our global tea...
  
• Recent Events Affecting the Bermuda Funds Industry and Upcoming Filings - Whether you are looking to set up a new fund vehicle, want to promote an overseas investment fund in...
  
• Bermuda Economic Substance Update – Key Amendments Enacted - Following continued discussions with the EU’s Code of Conduct Group and the OECD, Bermuda has pass...
  
• Overview of Bermuda Economic Substance Requirements - Expand All Overview Legislation requiring a “relevant entity” conducting “releva...
  
• Bermuda Economic Substance and Investment Funds Amendment Legislation Tabled - Bermuda has tabled amendment legislation in the House of Assembly in the form of the Economic Substa...
  
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ARTICLES

• Walkers contributes six chapters to Chambers FinTech Practice Guide 2020 - Walkers has provided six chapters to Chambers and Partners FinTech Practice Guide 2020. The guides ...
  
• Chambers Global Practice Guide 2020: Fintech – Bermuda: Law and Practice - Partners Natalie Neto and Sarah Demerling and associates Rachel Nightingale and Melanie Fullerton ha...
  
• Bermuda | New Collateralised Insurer Class to Add ILS Fund Diversification - The introduction of a new class of insurer in Bermuda, “Collateralised Insurers”, is expected to...
  
• Bermuda: Alternative Investment Funds 2019 - Bermuda partner Sarah Demerling and senior associate Nathalie West have teamed up with Global Legal ...
  
• Setting up a tokenised fund in Bermuda - Bermuda Partners Sarah Demerling and Natalie Neto outline the process of enacting and maintaining a ...
  
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MATTERS

• Walkers Acts on Gemini's Captive Insurance Company, Nakamoto, Ltd. - Walkers is pleased to have acted as Bermuda counsel to Gemini Trust Company ("Gemini"), a cryptocurr...
  
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NEWS

• Legal 500 Highlights Walkers' Bermudian Strength - The 2020 Legal 500 Caribbean guide has highlighted Walkers continuing success in Bermuda. Ranked in ...
  
• Bermuda Government Proposes Legislative Amendment to Exempt Non-Tax Resident from Economic Substance Requirements - On 21 June 2019, Bermuda's House of Assembly passed a Bill entitled "The Economic Substance Amendmen...
  
• Bermuda - Economic Substance Update - The European Union has announced that, with effect from 12 March 2019, Bermuda has been added to the...
  
• Walkers Bermuda Continues Expansion with Hire of Partner Sarah Demerling - Walkers is pleased to announce that Sarah Demerling has joined Walkers Bermuda* as a Partner in the ...
  
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EVENTS

• Bermuda Tech Week 2019 - Walkers is sponsoring the inaugural Bermuda Tech Week, taking place from 14-18 October in Hamilton. ...
  
• Walkers Bermuda to Sponsor Bermuda Captive Conference 2019 - Walkers Bermuda* is delighted to once again sponsor this year's Bermuda Captive Conference, taking p...
  
• Walkers to Sponsor IBA's 20th Annual International Conference - Walkers is sponsoring the 20th Annual International Conference on Private Investment Funds at t...
  
• Walkers Bermuda to Speak at the Bermuda Executive Forum in New York - Walkers Bermuda* partners Sarah Demerling and Natalie Neto will be speaking at the Bermuda Executive...
  
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