Sarah Ollier

Areas of Expertise/Specialisms

I qualified as a Solicitor in 2001 and specialise in litigation and dispute resolution. I am partner in a national law firm.

I have gained my higher rights of audience, which means that I can appear in the higher civil Courts of England and Wales.

I am a member of the Property Litigation Association

Details of last roles

Name

Knights PLC

Position

Partner

Dates

December 2010 - present

Responsibilities

I am a partner in the dispute resolution department. I work from the Sheffield office but have good connections to Doncaster, having worked there for 10 years for regional law firm Keebles LLP (which business Knights plc acquired in June 2021.)

I have a passion for training and development. I am the supervisor for the trainee solicitors in the Sheffield office, which involves assisting in the recruitment of trainee solicitors and supervising their 2 years of in-house training. In my role at Keebles, I helped to plan and organise the soft skills training for qualified staff.

Name

Laurence Keenan Advocates

Position

Partner

Dates

September 1998 – May 2010

Responsibilities

I trained to be an Isle of Man Advocate at this general practice firm and specialised in offshore litigation.

For a number of years, I was the secretary of Isle of Man Crimestoppers.

Whilst training I worked in my spare time as a Youth Worker.

Professional Body Membership(s)

I hold a practising certificate from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

I am a member of the Law Society and the Property Litigation Association.

General Areas of Expertise to Support a Trust Board

I have experience in contributing to decision making at a senior level and in reviewing and analysing large amounts of information to provide concise advice. I have strong project management skills and my role as a solicitor includes communicating effectively with a wide range of interested parties.

Specific Leadership and Skills Experience 

I have been at partner level for many years and have been involved in high value and complex cases. I lead in recruitment, training supervision and business development initiatives.

HR and Data Handling Specific Experience and Skills

As part of the strategy team at Keebles, I was involved with HR decisions and worked alongside the HR team. I am very experienced at data handling and appreciate legal frameworks

Finance Specific Experience and Skills

I have experience of costs budgeting and assessing claim value in litigation. At Keebles, I was involved with strategic financial planning and decision making for my firm.

Brief comments on why your previous experience is relevant 

I have a real interest in learning and development and want to be involved with a Doncaster based project that will make a difference to the life chances of young people from all backgrounds. I love working in a team and hope to be able to use my skills and experience to make a real contribution to the Trust.