Lady Justice Falk
Court of Appeal Civil DivisionCourt of Appeal Criminal DivisionHigh CourtBiographies
Lady Justice Sarah Falk grew up in Hertfordshire before reading law at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. She chose to become a solicitor and, after taking the solicitors’ final exams, joined the city law firm Freshfields as a trainee, qualifying as a solicitor in 1986 and becoming a partner in 1994.
In her work as a solicitor Lady Justice Falk specialised in corporate tax. Her work included advice on the structuring and implementation of a wide range of commercial transactions, both in the UK and internationally. She was also very actively involved in training and mentoring, and played a significant role in promoting greater diversity at Freshfields. She retired as a partner in 2013 but remained as a consultant until 2018.
In 2015 Lady Justice Falk was appointed as a fee-paid deputy judge of the Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chamber), and between then and her appointment as a High Court judge sat regularly in the Tax Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal, as well as sitting in the Upper Tribunal. She was appointed as a High Court Judge in 2018, assigned to the Chancery Division. She was a Judicial Commissioner of the Judicial Appointments Commission from October 2019 to April 2022. She was sworn in as a Lady Justice of Appeal in November 2022.
Lady Justice Falk is married with two children. Her interests are her family and (when time permits) walking, classical music and horse riding.