


Qualification date: 1998
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About
Sarah is a Partner at Collyer Bristow, specialising in Commercial, Intellectual Property, and Technology law.
She advises businesses on the commercialisation and licensing of patents, brands, technology, and AI solutions, and has extensive experience in tech and IP-focused M&A transactions. Her work often centres on helping clients structure contracts, manage data, and adapt to legal uncertainty in rapidly changing markets. She works across borders and industries wherever innovation and regulation meet.
Sarah’s experience includes several years in senior in-house specialist IP roles within the financial and insurance sectors, where she led on matters involving software as a service, data protection, and data licensing. She advises clients on integrating AI solutions into their products and services and advises on third-party supplier agreements.
Dual qualified in England & Wales and New Zealand, Sarah began her career at Baldwins, a New Zealand patent attorney firm, before moving to the IP/ IT team at Linklaters in London. She was a non-contentious partner at Carter-Ruck & Partners, before working in-house and then joining Norton Rose Fulbright in their London office, after the pandemic. She joined Collyer Bristow earlier this year.
Because her career spans both private practice and in-house roles, she brings a commercial perspective that adds a valuable dimension to the skills expected of a highly accomplished lawyer. She is known for her pragmatic advice and ability to simplify complex issues.
Recognition

"Sarah Coe stands out for thinking power and friendliness."
Client feedback
Advising entrepreneur on AI based financial services offering in new venture; preparation of all IP licensing and assignment agreements; advising on strategic supplier, proof of concept agreements and AI / Open Source Software (OOS) platform development plans.
Advised the e-commerce digital division of Bupa; handled all web related legal, cybersecurity and data protection issues world-wide and advised Bupa’s global business units on all technology, consumer, e-commerce and digital queries for their healthcare related investments, sponsorships and/or global marketing campaigns.
Supporting French tech company during RFP process for ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) UK based project and support on negotiating Term Sheet with favoured supplier SAP.
Advising CME Group on its global EMEA e-commerce and financial service contracts provided by its IT based subsidiaries; updated customer T&Cs, negotiated data licensing agreements with banks and global financial institutions; advised on compliance, confidentiality and data controller concerns; prepared IP/IT clauses of commercial and financial documentation.
Prepared licence agreement for UK company seeking to license its super yacht ceramic coating products and services to a US based licensee; heads of terms; IP licence and assignment agreements for internal restructuring; overseeing portfolio management by instructing overseas trade mark agents; strategic commercial advice to management as required.
IP transactional support on corporate M&A matters including the divestment by a leading UK petroleum company of its Swiss holdings; preparation of key licensing and transitional agreements governing the migration of the IP/IT assets to the new owner.
Conducted commercially sensitive negotiations for Japanese automotive company client seeking to invest in UK high-tech company owning patented silicon chip technology; carried out due diligence and worked with the corporate team structuring the project and joint venture, including instructing patent agent on patent pool with my client, several large German manufacturers and the silicon chip provider.
Preparing template supply, licensing and distribution agreements for Costa Coffee products in the EEA, supporting in-house legal team with brand management for new owner’s distribution network.
Undertook full due diligence on all IP/ IT and commercial contracts for a management sale of a leading fund data specialist company in Luxembourg to Deutsche Bank; part of EMEA client project team to oversee all client in-house commercial/ IP/IT teams during business sale; prepared IP/IT sections of tender documentation; reviewed all trade mark and domain name registrations; updated client contracts; reviewed tech supplier platform development agreements; reviewed tech supplier licences.
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Collyer Bristow’s Data Privacy team offers live, interactive, engaging and practical training sessions on a variety of privacy-related topics.
Publications

Establishing a business presence in the UK can be a transformative step for an overseas company. This guide explores the key differences between setting up a subsidiary or registering a branch, helping you navigate critical considerations like liability, financial reporting, and setup processes. Whether you’re looking to test the UK market or plan a long-term investment, this guide provides clarity on the most suitable structure for your needs.
Discover our latest Corporate Know-How guides.

Creating new share classes can be a useful way of attracting new participants, allowing a company to offer shares that are particularly focussed towards their desired investors. Whether you are considering re-organising the ownership of your business or are keen to understand the most suitable structure for a planned investment, this guide can help you with some common questions in relation to share classes.
Discover our new series of Corporate Know-How guides.

Prior to approaching the market or agreeing terms with a prospective buyer, undertaking adequate preparations for sale can contribute to a smoother transaction for all parties. In this guide, we look at some key questions to consider in respect of the readiness of a business for a potential sale.
Discover our new series of Corporate Know-How guides.

Put simply, a share buyback is where a company purchases its own shares from an existing shareholder. In this guide, we will look at some key aspects of share buybacks in relation to private limited companies incorporated in England & Wales.
Discover our new series of Corporate Know-How guides.

In this guide we will look at heads of terms as they relate to the sale of a business or assets in England & Wales. Whether identified as “heads of terms”, a “letter of intent” or “heads of agreement”, these documents summarise the key terms of a proposed transaction.
Discover our new series of Corporate Know-How guides.

Whether you are a minority shareholder concerned about what influence you can exert over a company’s affairs, or a founding shareholder, considering the amount of equity you would be prepared to sell to investors without losing control – this guide is here to help you understand what shareholders can do and when.
Discover our new series of Corporate Know-How guides.


Share and asset purchases are the two methods of acquiring a business in the UK.
Do you know their differences? The business of a sole trader or unregistered partnership can only be acquired through an asset purchase as there is no owning entity for the assets which can be acquired, while a share purchase can be used for the acquisition of all or part of the shares in a company which owns and operates a business.
Discover our new series of Corporate Know-How guides.

We look at the flip side of price structuring, instead focusing on how a seller could secure elements of the purchase price that are delayed – or at least obtain comfort around the buyer’s ability to pay them.
Discover our new series of Corporate Know-How guides.

When making an offer for a business, the question of when the consideration will be paid can often be just as important as how much will be paid. We look at four of the most common options available to prospective buyers (beyond upfront cash payments) and the risks/rewards posed by them.
Discover our new series of Corporate Know-How guides.
Sarah's colleagues
Specialising in: Banking & financial disputes, Commercial arbitration, Commercial disputes, Corporate recovery, restructuring & insolvency, Financial Services & Trusts & Inheritance disputes
+44 20 7470 4435
+44 7760 805398
Email Abbie
Specialising in: Banking & financial disputes, Commercial disputes, Corporate recovery, restructuring & insolvency, Financial regulatory, Financial Services & Personal insolvency
+44 20 7470 4429
+44 7943 503198
Email Robin
Qualification 1998
Sarah is a Partner at Collyer Bristow, specialising in Commercial, Intellectual Property, and Technology law.
She advises businesses on the commercialisation and licensing of patents, brands, technology, and AI solutions, and has extensive experience in tech and IP-focused M&A transactions. Her work often centres on helping clients structure contracts, manage data, and adapt to legal uncertainty in rapidly changing markets. She works across borders and industries wherever innovation and regulation meet.
Sarah’s experience includes several years in senior in-house specialist IP roles within the financial and insurance sectors, where she led on matters involving software as a service, data protection, and data licensing. She advises clients on integrating AI solutions into their products and services and advises on third-party supplier agreements.
Dual qualified in England & Wales and New Zealand, Sarah began her career at Baldwins, a New Zealand patent attorney firm, before moving to the IP/ IT team at Linklaters in London. She was a non-contentious partner at Carter-Ruck & Partners, before working in-house and then joining Norton Rose Fulbright in their London office, after the pandemic. She joined Collyer Bristow earlier this year.
Because her career spans both private practice and in-house roles, she brings a commercial perspective that adds a valuable dimension to the skills expected of a highly accomplished lawyer. She is known for her pragmatic advice and ability to simplify complex issues.

"Sarah Coe stands out for thinking power and friendliness."
Client feedback
Advising entrepreneur on AI based financial services offering in new venture; preparation of all IP licensing and assignment agreements; advising on strategic supplier, proof of concept agreements and AI / Open Source Software (OOS) platform development plans.
Advised the e-commerce digital division of Bupa; handled all web related legal, cybersecurity and data protection issues world-wide and advised Bupa’s global business units on all technology, consumer, e-commerce and digital queries for their healthcare related investments, sponsorships and/or global marketing campaigns.
Supporting French tech company during RFP process for ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) UK based project and support on negotiating Term Sheet with favoured supplier SAP.
Advising CME Group on its global EMEA e-commerce and financial service contracts provided by its IT based subsidiaries; updated customer T&Cs, negotiated data licensing agreements with banks and global financial institutions; advised on compliance, confidentiality and data controller concerns; prepared IP/IT clauses of commercial and financial documentation.
Prepared licence agreement for UK company seeking to license its super yacht ceramic coating products and services to a US based licensee; heads of terms; IP licence and assignment agreements for internal restructuring; overseeing portfolio management by instructing overseas trade mark agents; strategic commercial advice to management as required.
IP transactional support on corporate M&A matters including the divestment by a leading UK petroleum company of its Swiss holdings; preparation of key licensing and transitional agreements governing the migration of the IP/IT assets to the new owner.
Conducted commercially sensitive negotiations for Japanese automotive company client seeking to invest in UK high-tech company owning patented silicon chip technology; carried out due diligence and worked with the corporate team structuring the project and joint venture, including instructing patent agent on patent pool with my client, several large German manufacturers and the silicon chip provider.
Preparing template supply, licensing and distribution agreements for Costa Coffee products in the EEA, supporting in-house legal team with brand management for new owner’s distribution network.
Undertook full due diligence on all IP/ IT and commercial contracts for a management sale of a leading fund data specialist company in Luxembourg to Deutsche Bank; part of EMEA client project team to oversee all client in-house commercial/ IP/IT teams during business sale; prepared IP/IT sections of tender documentation; reviewed all trade mark and domain name registrations; updated client contracts; reviewed tech supplier platform development agreements; reviewed tech supplier licences.
Insights, News & Events
Shorter Reads
Read more
News
Read more
Shorter Reads
Read more
Shorter Reads
Read more
Shorter Reads
Read more
News
Read more
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Read more
Longer Reads
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Longer Reads
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Longer Reads
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Collyer Bristow’s Data Privacy team offers live, interactive, engaging and practical training sessions on a variety of privacy-related topics.
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