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United Kingdom > South East > Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40

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‘One of the outstanding private client practices in the UK’, Boodle Hatfield has a client list ‘to die for’, advising high-net-worth individuals on landed estate and offshore trust matters. ‘Class act’ Sue Laing is ‘imaginative and pragmatic in her approach to solutions’. Natasha Hassall has an ‘exceptional brain’, and Fiona Graham has ‘in-depth technical knowledge’.

Blandy & Blandy LLP delivers ‘valuable and creative advice’, with experience in offshore trusts and assets. Graham Benwell heads the practice, which also features the ‘compassionate and approachable’ Jonathan Gater.

‘Very professional, knowledgeable and understanding’, Field Seymour Parkes has experience in estate planning work following business disposals. Consultant Robert Watsham and Sue Vandersteen are recommended.

Henmans LLP’s ‘pragmatic’ team handles offshore work and Court of Protection cases. Nigel Roots is ‘excellent at keeping it simple’, and Jane Maitland ‘seeks solutions to problems’. Paul Thompson and litigator Sarah Foster are recommended.

Manches LLP’s team expanded significantly in 2010, with practice head Anna Burnside joining from Thomas Eggar LLP, and two further recruitments at associate level. It is ‘exceptionally helpful, knowledgeable and considerate’. Tom Gilman is ‘capable and diplomatic’.

Thomas Eggar LLP delivers ‘high levels of service’ and a ‘great depth of knowledge’. Sarah Phillips is an ‘excellent listener’. Julian Chadwick is also recommended.

The ‘very well-informed’ James Antoniou heads up the practice at Blake Lapthorn. The team delivers ‘knowledgeable, helpful and competitively priced advice’, and remains sole legal adviser for the online wills service of Which? Legal Service.

Boyes Turner fields a ‘small but highly professional and knowledgeable team’. Caroline Wallis advises high-net-worth and elderly clients, and associate Ruth Meyer has expertise in Court of Protection cases. Both are ‘very hardworking, knowledgeable and empathetic’.

At Clarkslegal LLP, ‘very professional’ associate Simon Berry assists high-net-worth individuals on tax and probate matters, and also advises on major estates and assets abroad. Nick Morgan left to become a sole practitioner in 2010.

The ‘knowledgeable’ Clifton Ingram LLP goes ‘beyond the call of duty’, particularly in contentious matters. Peter McGeown is ‘a real class act’, and Ian Martin ‘takes pains to explain issues in jargon-free language’. Stephanie Rose has a ‘truly service-orientated approach’.

Darbys Solicitors LLP impresses with its ‘sensitive approach’. The ‘very thorough’ team recruited legal executive Amanda Beegoo in 2010. Rebecca Kashti is ‘prompt and efficient’, and associates Katharine Allred and Graeme Hall are also recommended.

Providing ‘high-quality advice’, Morgan Cole provides advice to several sizeable trusts. Associate James Greig is ‘ethical, knowledgeable and responsive’.

With over 45 years’ experience, David Endicott at Spratt Endicott advises clients with ‘tact and diplomacy’, and his ‘subject knowledge is second to none’.

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Legal Developments in the UK

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  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
    - 11KBW

  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
    - 11KBW

  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
    - 11KBW

  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW

  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW

  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
    - 11KBW

  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue:
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP

  • Premium service for tier 2 and 5 sponsors to be launched

    A premium service for sponsors will be launched by the UKBA on 6 April 2012. The service is designed specifically for companies that sponsor international employees under tier 2 and 5 of the points based system and aims to provide them with enhanced support.
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP

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