Personal tax, trusts and probate
Macfarlanes LLP’s ‘superb’ team ‘responds with solid, practical advice’ and performs to high standards ‘at every level’. Jonathan Conder is an ‘excellent department head’, and Sebastian Pritchard-Jones ‘intuitively comprehends clients’, and ‘provides robust and understandable advice backed up by an excellent intellect’. The ‘outstanding’ group handles onshore and offshore work and regularly assists international clients in the UK. Owen Clutton’s ‘technical knowledge is impressive’; Robin Vos’ strengths include ‘his ability to combine an understanding of UK law and principles in a wide variety of areas’; Nicholas Harries ‘provides well-thought-out and practical advice’; and Edward Reed is ‘a market leader in providing advice to the French community in London’.
Withers LLP offers an integrated international private client practice, with offices worldwide. Richard Cassell leads the ‘wonderful’ London team, which includes the highly respected John Riches. Judith Ingham and Penelope Williams were busy in 2008 making representations to HMRC/the Treasury in relation to the taxation of UK resident non-domiciliaries. Highlights included advising an African-based family on the structuring of assets worth £2bn. The team has also recently assisted UK, Latin American, and US clients. Tony Thompson is recommended.
Baker & McKenzie LLP’s team is noted for its ‘high level of service’, and includes Paul Stibbard, who is ‘one of the finest private client lawyers in London; his greatest strength is his ability to gain trust of clients and find practical solutions for them’. The practice benefits from the firm’s international network, and is regularly instructed by clients from Russia/the CIS and the Middle East. Ashley Crossley heads the Russian practice, and regularly assists clients in the UK on cross-border tax and trust structuring.
Boodle Hatfield has an ‘outstanding’, ‘excellent’ and ‘thorough’ private client practice which has ‘traditional roots, but is fantastically relevant’. Lead partner Sue Laing is ‘very strong, good with high-profile clients’ and a ‘confident leader’, while Richard Moyse is ‘the god of the private client world’. The group is well known for advising its established domestic client base, and is increasing its market share in international work. Simon Rylatt ‘offers top-level industry knowledge’, and Karen Marks, who recently joined from LG, is ‘an exceptional individual with vast experience of specialist tax planning especially for the UK resident non-domiciled market’. Sara Maccallum is ‘astute and technically adept’, and Fiona Graham is ‘confident and understanding’.
Robert Partridge heads Charles Russell LLP’s large private client practice which advises UK clients, as well as an increasingly international client base. Recent highlights include advising a Middle Eastern family on the restructuring of conglomerates, and assisting an ultra-high-net-worth entrepreneurial client on the establishment of a family trust. Henry Fea was promoted to partner in 2009.
Farrer & Co’s ‘first-class private client practice’ assists some high-net-worth individuals and ‘takes great pains in meeting their exacting requirements’. Its well-established client base includes the Royal Family; private banks such as Coutts & Co, Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of America; and a number of international individuals. Practice head Jim Edmondson is ‘good at communicating complex concepts succinctly’; John Carrell is a ‘superb, sage tax adviser’; Russell Cohen ‘combines technical ability, a sense of humour and a practical approach’; and Mark Bridges offers ‘discretion’. Sarah von Schmidt, Caroline Kirby and Alison Springett are also recommended.
LG delivers an ‘excellent level of service’ and is well known for its strong international practice, assisting German, Russian, Indian, and Far Eastern clients. The group also assists a number of Middle Eastern clients, and Andrew Young recently moved to Dubai, to head the firm’s international private capital group. ‘The sheer size of the department’ is a draw for many clients, and ‘their strength in depth coupled with a youthful age average equals a proactive service across the department’. Practice head Anthony Thompson is ‘responsive and knowledgeable’. Nick Rucker was promoted to partner in 2008.
Speechly Bircham LLP offers ‘a very high level of service, and excellent communications, response times and expertise’. The 11-partner team is led by Richard Kirby, who garners excellent market feedback, and includes international trust expert Nick Dunnell and Mark Musgrave, who has a wealth of experience. The group is well known for its domestic client base, and regularly assists international clients, including recently attracting some high-net-worth Middle Eastern clients; Charles Gothard leads on the international side, and Alison Broadberry was recently promoted to partner. Mark Summers is recommended for ‘US/UK expertise’.
Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP has a first-rate reputation for international work and has assisted a number of high-profile political clients, as well as private banks. Practice head Jonathan Kropman is ‘discreet, a very logical thinker with good inter-personal skills to help him negotiate and ask hard questions without putting people’s backs up’. The eight-partner group has recently assisted with a number of trust reorganisations and family partnerships. The firm now has a presence in Moscow.
Bircham Dyson Bell LLP’s ‘personal service and the expertise of its leading partners makes it a first choice when it comes to international clients with UK connections’. The ‘first-class’, and ‘very professional’ practice is led by James Johnston, who is ‘excellent at handling clients with complex problems’, and ‘particularly strong on cross-border problems involving UK-France and UK-Switzerland’. The group assists entertainment industry and landed estate clients, and also European and Middle Eastern families. Consultant Peter Goodwin is ‘astute and detail-orientated’.
Currey & Co has a first-class reputation for discreet, high-calibre work for a traditional ‘old money’ client base.
Forsters LLP’s private client practice continues to go from strength to strength, recently bolstering several key areas including landed estates. The team regularly assists a UK client-base and is increasingly attracting international and offshore work. Practice head David Robinson is ‘extremely knowledgeable’ and ‘delightful to work with’, while Fiona Smith ‘takes a genuine interest in her clients’ cases’.
Niche private client firm Harcus Sinclair assists UK clients with the establishment of trusts and companies, and regularly handles offshore work. Keith Bruce-Smith heads the team, and Lucy Gibson is also recommended.
Herbert Smith LLP is ‘human in its approach’, and lead partner Rupert Ticehurst is ‘proactive, commercially aware and a lovely person to work with’. The integrated contentious and non-contentious group assists an international as well as domestic client base, and regularly handles offshore work. Recent highlights include assisting a high-profile UK-resident non-domiciled family on trust, succession and tax-planning matters. Consultant John Wood is highly recommended.
Hunters has a large landed estates practice which feeds in a steady stream of instructions. The group offers ‘high-level bespoke solutions’, and is co-led by Graham Ogilvie and the ‘hugely diplomatic’ Edward Martineau. Joe Richardson, who specialises in both onshore and offshore tax planning, is also highly recommended, along with Jonathan Godwin-Austen and John Owen.
Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP has some star practitioners, including Clare Maurice, who is recommended for ‘her leadership and client skills’, and the ‘discreet’ Ceris Gardner.
Payne Hicks Beach acts for individuals and families, and benefits from the firm’s top-class family practice. Alice Palmer leads ‘an incredibly proficient, experienced team’ which is ‘at the cutting edge of providing complex planning solutions through its proactive and pragmatic approach’. Christopher Sly is highly rated for his experience in offshore work, and Louise Stoten is ‘committed to providing high standards of advice and has a decisive yet pragmatic approach’.
Penningtons Solicitors LLP’s personal tax team is led by ‘extraordinary lawyer’ Lesley Lintott, who is ‘knowledgeable, creative and diplomatic’. In 2008 the ‘knowledgeable’ Jo Summers joined from Howard Kennedy, where she was practice head. The group is recommended for its offshore tax structuring expertise.
Taylor Wessing LLP has one of the few private client practices within a City firm; it is led by Mark Buzzoni, who is ‘creative, responsive, and particularly adept at working with advisers from other high-tax jurisdictions to craft dual-compliant structures’. The team includes Nick Warr, who ‘has a quick brain and is imaginative in his approach’, and Andrew Hine, who ‘combines expertise and is a sure touch with clients with complex asset bases’. Martin Goodwin is ‘an excellent lawyer’.
Trowers & Hamlins LLP’s personal tax team regularly advises a broad list of international clients, including from Russia and the US. The group is particularly well known for its expertise in assisting clients from the Middle East, and is also adept at handling work for domestic clients. Robert Brodrick and Jamie Atwell are the key partners.
Collyer Bristow LLP’s personal tax team is ‘responsive, highly capable, and exceptionally professional, and consistently delivers more than is expected’. The group includes practice head Andrew Dixon and Rosamond McDowell, who ‘have a no-nonsense manner and form very strong relationships with their client base’. Daniel Simon has ‘in-depth knowledge of UK tax issues and goes out of his way to be responsive’.
Dawsons LLP’s ‘reliable and excellent’ team is co-led by the ‘approachable, efficient and client-friendly’ Wynne Thomas and the ‘technically strong’ Neil Morris, who is ‘both commercial and practical in dealing with clients’. Clients have ‘nothing but praise’ for Matthew Duncan, who joined from Charles Russell LLP in 2008.
Finers Stephens Innocent LLP’s ‘efficient and well informed’ team provides a ‘personal service’ and assists some very high-profile clients in the media, music and sports industries. Practice head Liz Palmer and Michael Lewis ‘speak with authority and are extremely personable’. Emily Mailer was recently promoted to partner.
May, May & Merrimans is a Gray’s Inn firm which specialises in advising individuals on all aspects of private client including trusts, wills, tax and estate planning, and probate. Roddy Steen is the partner contact.
At Rooks Rider Chris Cooke heads the offshore, international team, while Christopher Wright leads on the domestic side. On the international side, the group has advised clients from Pakistan, Russia, and Lichtenstein.
Russell-Cooke LLP is recommended for international tax planning. Practice head Richard Frimston is highly recommended, and has specialist knowledge of French law. Michael Parkinson joined the practice in July 2009 from Macfarlanes LLP.
Thring Townsend Lee & Pembertons’s two-partner London team handles a large number of instructions, led by Julian Whately. The group handles succession planning, trusteeships, will drafting, inheritance planning and Court of Protection matters, and recently advised the owner of a £10m estate in relation to an IHT exemption.
Wedlake Bell’s team is ‘quick to respond, always helpful, pragmatic, and willing to go the extra mile’. Robert Dolman and Emma Loveday ‘have the presence, knowledge and charm that private clients seek’, and practice head Eleanor Metcalf is highly recommended. Clients include Middle Eastern royal families and international banks. Charles Hicks is also recommended.
Hugh MacDougald is the lead partner at Winckworth Sherwood, where the team advises families and individuals on tax, trusts and investment issues.
Davenport Lyons’ private client practice is led by Jeffrey Cohen. The group assists high-profile clients, often in the entertainment industry, on tax-planning issues, and also handles offshore work.
Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP assists domestic and international clients including celebrities and entrepreneurs on tax-structuring issues and the establishment of trusts, as well as on wills and probate issues. Penny Wotton is the key partner.
Fladgate LLP handles all aspects of tax planning and trusts advice including structuring for non-domiciliaries, inheritance tax and estate planning, cross-border structuring for personal investments, and managing, acquiring and disposing of trust property. Recent highlights include setting up a structure for an international client wishing to invest in real estate across Europe. David Way leads the team.
Goodman Derrick LLP’s private client team, led by Ian Bradshaw, handles the full range of tax-planning advice.
Harbottle & Lewis LLP’s ‘excellent team’ regularly advises high-net-worth and high-profile individuals on tax-planning and trust structures. The ‘commercial and approachable’ Glen Atchison and ‘likeable and practical’ Sarah Bridge co-head the thriving practice, which includes ‘competent and assured practitioners at all levels’.
Hogan & Hartson’s practice is led by Jonathan Ivinson and includes new recruit Olga Boltenko, who arrived from Dewey & LeBoeuf to bolster the group’s international capabilities.
Howard Kennedy’s group is now led by Cordelia Brand, who recently joined from Cumberland Ellis LLP; previous practice head Jo Summers has moved to Penningtons Solicitors LLP. The group handles domestic and international tax-planning and probate work.
Laytons offers a ‘high level of service’ under the stewardship of Ian Burman. The group assists a number of international non-domiciliary clients, including clients from Italy and Singapore. Julian Korn is ‘careful, courteous, patient and good humoured’.
Linklaters LLP’s Nigel Reid is ‘technically strong with a good network’, and ‘has a good understanding of working with families’. The team regularly assists non-UK-domiciled clients, and benefits from being part of a full-service firm.
Manches LLP’s Colin Russell has ‘a wealth of experience’ and a ‘fresh approach’, and heads a team offering ‘high-calibre client care and attention’ and a ‘can-do attitude’. The group benefits from the firm’s top-ranking family practice.
Mishcon de Reya’s private client team assists a number of established clients in the media and entertainment sphere. The two-partner group, led by Andrew Goldstone, regularly advises international clients in the UK, and recently assisted an Indian billionaire on creating Cayman Island purpose trusts.
Kelly Noel-Smith is the key partner for tax planning matters at RadcliffesLeBrasseur. The group assists both domestic and international clients.