Sarah has been involved in the financial services industry in Bermuda for two decades 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 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)
Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales (not practising)

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

2021 Chambers Global - Notable Practitioner - Corporate & Finance - Sarah Demerling is "very commercial and understands finance and deal structure," adding: "She is super responsive, available and attentive to detail." 

2021 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Banking, Finance & Capital Markets - ‘"The Walkers team (particularly Natalie Neto, Sarah Demerling, and Rachel Nightingale) are responsive, creative, flexible, and smart. They are very connected within the Bermuda legal and business community, getting us meetings and audiences on very short notice when needed. They also handled a sensitive and challenging issue smoothly. I cannot say enough good things about that."

2021 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Corporate & Commercial 

2021 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Insurance/Reinsurance

2021 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Private Funds - Regulatory

2020 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Banking, Finance & Capital Markets 

2020 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Corporate & Commercial 

2020 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Insurance/Reinsurance

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:

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

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)

Sarah heads up the ILS Market Intelligence work stream of ILS Bermuda, which includes the ILS task force, and a member of the Bermuda Government appointed Economic Substance working group for Funds.

She is also and is a member of the Captive Committee of the Bermuda Business Development Agency as well as a member of the Asset Management Committee; as well as the Chair of AIMA Bermuda and a co-foundeder of 100 Women in Finance, Bermuda.

EVENTS

• Bermuda Captive Conference: 14-15 June 2021 - Walkers is delighted to support the advancement of Bermuda's captive insurance industry through our ...
  
• Walkers Virtual Fundamentals Seminar - Please join us for pre-event networking, followed by a live broadcast of Walkers Fundamentals a...
  
• ILS Bermuda Convergence 2020 Conference - Walkers is pleased to sponsor this year's ILS Convergence Conference, the networking event...
  
• Bermuda Captive Conference - Join Walkers' Corporate, Finance and Funds partner Sarah Demerling as she moderates the BMA Update a...
  
• Walkers Webinar: The Bermuda Investment Funds Act Explained - Join us for a presentation on the recent amendments to the Investment Funds Act 2006 and what it mea...
  
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ARTICLES

• Bermuda Focus: An Exceptional Island - Bermuda brings to mind images of pretty pink sand beaches and beautiful blue seas. Its financia...
  
• Podcast: Forming the world's first crypto custody captive - In this GCP Short, produced in collaboration with international law firm Walkers, we bring you a fas...
  
• Bermuda’s Cannabis Licensing Act - On 19 February 2021, the lower house of Bermuda’s Parliament (the “House”) passed th...
  
• Walkers contributes six chapters to Chambers FinTech Practice Guide 2021 - Walkers has provided six chapters to Chambers and Partners FinTech Practice Guide 2021.The guides pr...
  
• Chambers Global Practice Guide 2021: Fintech – Bermuda: Law and Practice - Partners Natalie Neto and Sarah Demerling, and senior associates Rachel Nightengale and Melanie Full...
  
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NEWS

• Walkers Acts on IFLR America's Restructuring Deal of the Year 2021 - Walkers is pleased to announce that its Bermuda and Cayman Islands offices have been recognised at t...
  
• 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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MATTERS

• Walkers Acts as Bermuda Counsel to Vantage in US$225 million Inaugural Cat Bond - Walkers has acted as Bermuda counsel to Vantage Risk Ltd ("Vantage"), the Bermuda-based insurance an...
  
• Walkers (Bermuda) Limited Acts on Swiss Re's First ILS Fund - Walkers has acted as Bermuda counsel on the launch of the Core Nat Cat Fund, a segregated account of...
  
• Walkers Bermuda advises AXA XL in Bluefire Alternative Capital Reinsurance Transaction - Walkers is pleased to have acted as Bermudian counsel to AXA XL in relation to an alternative capita...
  
• 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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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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