Expertise

Zara advises on general commercial matters including contractual disputes, shareholder disputes, civil fraud claims, debt claims and professional negligence. She has experience of acting for both claimants and defendants, both in the UK and overseas.

Recognition

Interviewed by Douglass Scott and featured in the article “Best foot forward for 2017’s Happiest Person in Legal: Zara Okereafor”.

Experience

Zara has assisted clients on a diverse range of complex commercial matters. In particular, Zara’s work has involved:

• Acting for a US incorporated real estate sponsor in a multimillion pound loss of chance claim against a financial institution for breach of confidence in respect of significant financial losses involving an iconic London venue.
• Representing joint business owners in a deceit claim for financial losses flowing from alleged fraudulent misrepresentation by a parent company and achieving settlement outside of Court.
• Negotiating on behalf of a UK fashion retailer in a business interruption insurance claim against insurers in respect of financial losses suffered as a result of Covid-19.
• Assisting on a claim brought by 112 financial institutions under s.90A FSMA Tesco Plc in respect of its £263m profit overstatements.
• Representing a business owner involved in a debt claim before a County Court. Zara successfully defended an application for summary judgment brought by Barclays Bank PLC and led the negotiations for a settlement with the bank’s representatives.
• Supporting a team seeking recovery from Standard & Poor’s and RBS for losses of €200m caused by failed complex structured financial products brought by European institutional banking, insurance and pension fund investors.
• Assisting on an action brought by joint liquidators of two BVI special purpose vehicles in relation to their claim against Deutsche Bank and others, involving allegations of market manipulation and unlawful means conspiracy in connection with credit linked notes and credit default swaps.
• Defending a professional chartered accountant in disciplinary proceedings brought against him by the Association of Chartered Accountants for claims for professional negligence and misconduct.

Career

Zara completed her law degree at the University of Keele. She then went on to complete the Legal Practice Course at The University of Law in London and subsequently began her career at Stewarts in 2014 as a paralegal. She commenced her training contract with the firm in 2017 and qualified as a solicitor in 2019.

Accreditations and Memberships

• Junior Lawyers Division, The Law Society
• London Solicitors Litigation Association (LSLA and JLSLA)
• Black Solicitors’ Network
• London Young Lawyers Group
• Women in Law UK
• British Nigeria Law Forum (BNLF and BNLF JLD)

Publications

• Pushing for progress at the 2018 Women in Law Summit

Personal

Typical of a litigator, Zara likes a good challenge. Zara has tackled the dizzying heights of the Stewarts office building, abseiling 180ft from the roof, she has raced to the summit of Mount Snowdon and back, pushing and pulling a wheelchair user together with her colleagues and has competed in several dragon boat racing events with colleagues to support a number of charitable causes. Over the years she has represented Stewarts in many rugby and netball leagues and tournaments.

Outside of the office, Zara is a keen cyclist and enjoys cross-country cycling trips in the UK and abroad. She loves to travel and discover new things but most importantly, spending time with her 1 year old daughter.