The Legal 500

Withers is the first international law firm dedicated to the business, personal and philanthropic interests of successful people, their families and advisers. With offices in London, New York, New Haven (Connecticut), Hong Kong, Geneva, Milan, Greenwich (Connecticut) and the British Virgin Islands, the firm is known as Withers LLP in Europe, Withers Bergman in the US and Withers in Hong Kong.

The firm: Withers provides integrated answers to the US, UK and international legal and tax needs of its high-net-worth clients, whether this means restructuring their own assets, buying or selling businesses and properties, coping with divorce, termination of their employment, or setting up charitable business foundations.

Withers has one of the largest teams of specialist US private client lawyers in Europe, and more Italian speakers than any other City law firm. The firm offers English and Italian law advice from its Milan office. For more than two decades, the firm has been assisting Italians investing and doing business in the UK and beyond. In 2010, Withers expanded its Italian desk presence, which it now promotes in Hong Kong, Milan, London and New York.

The Geneva office provides complex cross-border legal and wealth management advice. The Geneva team has expertise in common law, civil law and Sharia law systems, and is uniquely placed to advise international clients wherever they are based. The firm strengthened its Swiss presence in April 2011 by opening an office in Zurich. The new office provides US, UK, Russian and cross-border international tax and trust services, as well as strategic advice on corporate tax and US tax compliance.

The firm now has a significant presence in New York, providing private client, corporate, real estate and litigation expertise. The attorneys work closely with their UK counterparts to offer innovative solutions to cross-border tax and legal issues. The Greenwich office focuses on, amongst other work, hedge funds and financial products. The firm’s Hong Kong office offers a comprehensive range of US, UK and international tax, trust and commercial services; family law advice is also offered. Withers has an office in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) providing advice on cross-border commercial litigation, fraud and insolvency, and a range of corporate and financial law, with an emphasis on investment funds, private equity, trusts and regulatory issues, as well as legal opinions and matters of BVI law. Withers is the only onshore global law firm with an offshore office and permanent lawyers based in the BVI.

The firm recruits 14 trainees each year, many of whom stay on with the firm on qualification. A significant proportion of the partners trained with the firm.

Types of work undertaken: In the private client field, Withers has over 120 tax and trust specialists in the UK, US, Hong Kong and Geneva, making it one of the largest and most comprehensive private client practices in the world. This has enabled the firm to respond to client needs by forming dedicated teams which serve particular types of private client – hedge fund and investment managers, entrepreneurs, families, family offices, investment and private banks, trust companies, landed estates, and the globally wealthy.

Withers is a market leader for family law and has a pre-eminent reputation for international and traditional work involving significant resources, complicated tax issues and all problems relating to children.

On the corporate side, the firm acts for listed and private companies, financial institutions, partnerships, sole traders and entrepreneurs. Specialist areas of practice include corporate finance (in particular AIM), intellectual property, banking and employment. Sector expertise includes fashion and luxury brands, financial services including funds, motor racing, technology and media.

Withers is one of the very few firms that has a specialist practice in litigation relating to trusts and probate. It is also well-known for its litigation expertise in fraud (particularly tracing assets through trusts), employment, insolvency, professional negligence and art.

The firm’s charities practice continues to grow and is now ideally suited to deal with the establishment of US charities. It is supported by a range of linked specialisms from across the firm.

Withers’ property practice encompasses all aspects of residential, commercial and agricultural property. The firm is particularly renowned for its expertise in agricultural law and in handling international property transactions, particularly for US purchasers.

Other offices: BVI, New York, Hong Kong, Geneva, Milan, Greenwich (Connecticut), New Haven (Connecticut), Zurich

Breakdown of work %
Corporate 10
IP 3
Private client 31
Family 14
Litigation 29
Property 10

Number of UK partners 61
Number of other UK fee-earners 218