Private Client
We offer tailored solutions to individual clients and their families, to protect and manage their personal and business wealth.
Private client
Clients We're
Able To Advise
Based in the heart of Mayfair with a global reach, we provide comprehensive advice to affluent clients from around the world, including asset managers, entrepreneurs, family offices, financial advisers, high net worth individuals, ultra-high net worth individuals, families, investment advisers, private banks, trust companies, trustees and private individuals.
Please explore our areas of law for more information on our services.
Clear, Practical Advice
We determine our client’s objectives during the initial meeting, and always work towards our client’s timetable. We enjoy working with our clients and strive to build a lasting relationship, by providing clear, practical advice, across a range of matters such as asset management, probate, tax planning, charities and wills.
If you would like to hear more about our private client services, please consider getting in touch with us and one of our expert solicitors will be happy to assist you.
overview
Areas Of Law
Asset management law deals with the legal and regulatory requirements surrounding the management of financial assets, such as stocks, bonds and other investments.
Asset management law encompasses a wide range of legal issues, including regulatory compliance, fiduciary duty, and contract law. Asset managers such as investment advisors, mutual funds, and hedge funds, must comply with applicable laws and regulations, such as the Investment Advisers Act and the Securities Act, and adhere to industry best practices. Asset management law also covers the formation and operation of investment vehicles, such as private equity funds and real estate investment trusts (REITs).
- Acquisition and disposal of assets
- Asset protection
- Commercial investments
- Corporate investments
- International asset structuring
- High-value, multijurisdictional transactions
- Legislation affecting wealth owners
- Investment strategies
- Private investment funds
- Private client property and real estate
- Structuring of investment transactions
Charity law deals with the creation, operation and governance of charitable organisations. Charitable organisations are typically established for a specific charitable purpose, such as relieving poverty, advancing education, or promoting health.
Charity law encompasses a wide range of legal issues, including the formation and registration of charitable organisations, tax-exempt status, charitable giving and fiduciary duty.
- Administration and operation advice of charities
- Charity legislation
- Charity Commission policies and operational guidance
- Charities Act 2006
- Creation of new charities, incorporation and registration (with the Charity Commission and HMRC)
- Cross border giving & tax advice
- Fundraising issues and sponsorship arrangements
- Governance & governance issues
- Legacies and gifts to charities
- Mergers and joint ventures
- Powers and duties of trustees
- Regulatory compliance and investigations
Dispute resolution law focuses on helping parties resolve legal disputes outside of traditional litigation.
Dispute resolution methods can include negotiation, mediation, and arbitration, which are alternative methods of resolving disputes that aim to reach a mutually acceptable agreement between the parties involved. This type of law is particularly useful in business and commercial disputes, as well as in employment and family law matters.
- Alternative dispute resolution
- Breach of trust
- Contested wills
- Court of Protection issues
- Disagreements over the administration of estates
- Disputes in relation to the administration of charities
- Disputes in family businesses
- Family succession disputes
- International commercial disputes involving trustees
- Litigation
- Mediation
- Multijurisdictional trust claims
- Probate dispute resolution
- Testamentary capacity and undue influence
- Trust and estate disputes
- Trust validity issues
Domicile and residence law are two related areas of law that deal with an individual’s legal status and tax liability in a particular jurisdiction.
Domicile refers to an individual’s permanent home, where they have the intent to remain indefinitely. Residence, on the other hand, refers to an individual’s temporary living arrangement in a particular jurisdiction.
- Advance planning for non-UK persons moving to the UK
- Advice on changing tax residence and domicile planning
- Advice on tax and legal aspects of taking up a residence abroad
- Creation of asset holding structures (UK and international)
- Co-ordinating multijurisdictional tax planning
- Departure planning for UK residents leaving the UK
- In-depth analysis of a client’s domicile and residence status
- Will and estate planning for families with cross-border estates
Personal wealth structuring law deals with the management and protection of personal wealth. This can include issues related to estate planning, tax planning, trusts, and other legal structures designed to manage and protect personal assets.
- Contractual arrangements
- Family business continuation plans and succession management
- Family governance structures
- Family office structures
- Family wealth management strategy
Probate and Administration of Estates law refers to the legal process by which the assets and debts of a deceased person are managed and distributed. When a person dies, their estate is typically subject to probate, which involves the validation of the deceased person’s will and the appointment of an executor to manage the estate. If there is no will, the process may involve the appointment of an administrator to manage the estate according to state law.
- Acting for personal representatives, trustees and heirs
- Advice and guidance throughout the entire probate and estate administration for UK and cross-border estates
- Business & estate succession
- Coordinating multijurisdictional probate applications
- Inheritance contracts
- International inheritance and probate issue
- Obtaining grant of probate
- Obtaining a Grant of Representation
Tax planning law involves the process of managing a person’s financial affairs in a way that minimises their tax liability. This can involve the use of legal strategies to reduce or defer taxes owed, such as utilising deductions, credits and other tax benefits. Effective tax planning can help individuals and businesses to maximise their after-tax income and minimise their financial risk.
Tax planning also involves complying with tax laws and regulations while seeking to minimise the risk of audit and penalties. It may involve structuring transactions, managing assets and selecting appropriate tax filing statuses, among other strategies.
- Compliance with tax and reporting obligations
- Global tax minimisation
- Inheritance tax, income tax & capital gains tax
- Multijurisdictional tax and inheritance issues
- Private equity structuring
- Real estate transfer tax
- Structure of personal and business wealth
- Tax and succession planning
- Tax investigations advice
- Tax planning – UK and international
- Tax residence and domicile planning
- UK and international tax issues
- UK, offshore and cross border tax efficient wealth management structures
Trusts and Settlements law refers to the legal framework surrounding the creation and management of trusts, which are legal arrangements, that allow a person or entity to hold and manage assets on behalf of one or more beneficiaries. Trusts can be used for a variety of purposes, such as estate planning, asset protection and charitable giving.
- Advice for trustees and beneficiaries on their rights and obligations
- Establishing and restructuring trusts (UK and international)
- Private trust companies
- Purpose trusts
- Structuring estates and trusts
- Trust administration
- Trust disputes and litigation
- Trust and succession planning
- Trust and succession dispute management
- UK and offshore trusts, settlements and other investment structuring vehicles
Wills are an important tool for estate planning and can help to ensure that a person’s assets are distributed according to their wishes. However, wills can also be subject to legal challenges, such as claims of undue influence or lack of capacity.
- Applications to the court of protection for deputyship
- Asset protection structures
- Cross-border conflicts of succession laws
- Drafting and advising on wills with regards to UK and non-UK assets
- Enduring power of attorney
- Family trust arrangements
- Lifetime gifts
- Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) – Property and Affairs LPA and Personal Welfare LPA
- Structuring and drafting of wills
- Succession planning
- Will validity disputes
Blog
News & Insights
Probate – Client guide
From January 18, 2024, probate applications in England and Wales will no longer require the IHT421 form. HMRC will handle the paperwork and send you the needed details. Read to find out more about this change.
An overview of the validity of a will
Explore the essentials of wills: what they are, their validity requirements, and the conditions for making changes. Understand the legal framework under the Wills Act 1837 and how to ensure your will is properly executed.