Described as a ‘highly professional firm with a first-class reputation’, Blake Morgan LLP offers a broad range of tax and succession planning services, including advising on foreign assets that are located outside the UK. Spearheading the team in Southampton, Paula Shea has two decades of experience advising high-net-worth individuals on wills and taxes. Darren Price and Jonathan Sleep are also integral members of the team; Price routinely acts for trustees, executors, and beneficiaries and handles matters relating to asset protection issues, trusts and the administration of estates, while Sleep is an expert in handling will and inheritance disputes.
Personal tax, trusts and probate: Hampshire in South East
Blake Morgan LLP
Practice head(s):
Paula Shea
Other key lawyers:
Darren Price; Jonathan Sleep; Simon Treherne
Testimonials
‘The team is led by partner Paula Shea whose experience and expertise ensure her clients receive the best advice.’
‘Blake Morgan is a highly professional firm with a first-class reputation.’
‘They are very professional, reliable, and responsive.’
‘They offer a very high standard of technical advice in complex areas like tax regimes and the effectiveness of trusts.’
‘The most helpful and impressive thing about Jonathan Sleep is how easy it is to contact him, and the prompt nature of his responses to any questions.’
‘The service, advice, and invaluable support that Jonathan Sleep gives his clients on all occasions is exceptional. He is always readily available. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending anyone to use Jonathan and his colleagues to give advice on his specialist areas of expertise.’
‘Jonathan Sleep is an excellent and highly knowledgeable lawyer. He is also a kind, patient, and caring gentleman who is a pleasure to deal with.’
‘Paula Shea is kind, friendly, and provides the right mix of empathy and professionalism needed.’
Foot Anstey
Foot Anstey is a go-to firm for high-net-worth individuals and family-owned businesses seeking advice on on taxes and succession planning issues. The team routinely advises on matters relating to landed estates, farms, and personal injury trusts. Praised as ‘a real expert who is able to provide advice and guidance across a wide spectrum of issues’, Rachel Brooks heads up the private wealth team in Southampton. Carol Ward and Celine Lecomte are also notable members of the team; Ward has experience drafting complex wills and handling the administration of estates, while Lecomte frequently assists trustees and beneficiaries with the restructuring and regulation compliance of trusts.
Practice head(s):
Rachel Brooks
Other key lawyers:
Carol Ward; Celine Lecomte; Alison McClure
Testimonials
‘Celine Lecomte is an incredibly professional person with a wealth of knowledge and experience in an ever-changing sector.’
‘The team stands out for its depth of knowledge and pragmatic approach. They take the whole picture into account to come up with imaginative solutions.’
‘Rachel Brooks leads the department. She is very personable and thorough.’
‘There are not many firms which can provide first-class personal tax, trusts and probate advice. The team in Hampshire at Foot Anstey is excellent, providing a real depth of expertise in complex matters, but also clear advice and support for clients.’
‘Rachel Brooks is a real expert. She’s able to provide advice and guidance across a wide spectrum of issues. She leads a team that really shows strength and depth. Celine Lecomte is a fabulous communicator and is extremely efficient.’
‘The knowledge and experience of Alison McClure is unsurpassed! A formidable professional to have in your corner!’
‘Rachel Brooks and her team are very responsive and are able to provide complex advice in an approachable manner.’
Trethowans LLP
Trethowans LLP
stands out for its broad capabilities advising on probate matters, including those involving foreign assets, and estate administrations. Described as ‘a highly effective and knowledgeable solicitor’, Mihiri Gajraj heads up the team in Southampton, and regularly advises high-net-worth clients on mitigating tax liabilities and handles succession planning issues for family-owned businesses. Kathryn Anderson is recommended for advising charities which are beneficiaries of estates. The team was strengthened by the addition of Leyla Whitlingum in Winchester, who joined in November 2023 from Phillips Law and adds experience in will drafting and estate planning.
Practice head(s):
Mihiri Gajraj
Other key lawyers:
Kathryn Anderson; Leyla Whitlingum; Adam Scott; Bonnie Ward
Testimonials
‘There is a good breadth of knowledge within the team to help optimise the outcome for their clients. The team is young and dynamic with a good professional client rapport.’
‘Mihiri Gajraj is a highly effective and knowledgeable solicitor. Her clients clearly value the advice she gives.’
‘Mihiri Gajraj is exceptional. Despite being extremely busy, she is always available if I have questions and tries to provide the best service possible to the client.’
‘The team stands out for its personal service. They are approachable, knowledgeable, and available.’
‘They are willing to go the extra mile and think outside the box.’
‘Mihiri Gajraj, who is head of private client at Trethowans, has always been a pleasure to work with and provides a great service to clients.’
Herrington Carmichael LLP
Located in Farnborough, the team at Herrington Carmichael LLP is particularly skilled at handling cross-border matters that deal with complex issues of residency and taxation. Spearheading the team, Charlotte Drury-Woods has been increasingly involved in contentious matters relating to estate administration. Graeme Black is another integral member of the team, and routinely advises high-net-worth families on their general affairs; he is especially recommended for elderly clients and vulnerable individuals who need assistance with trust administration and will drafting. Nicole Miller is also noted for her depth of experience advising on trusts and taxes.
Practice head(s):
Charlotte Drury-Woods
Other key lawyers:
Graeme Black; Nicole Miller; Minnaar Badenhorst; Kelly Hurst
Testimonials
‘The team at Herrington Carmichael is fantastic. They always put clients first and ensure that they have good outcomes. The advice can be complex, but they make it easy to understand and ensure that they are always doing the right thing by the client.’
‘Nicole Miller is highly qualified, highly experienced, and a pleasure to deal with. Clients only ever have positive things to say about her. Working together has been fantastic.’
Irwin Mitchell
The team at Irwin Mitchell is ‘uniquely placed to provide the highest level of expertise and service due to its depth of knowledge and experience’. With offices in Southampton and Chichester, the practice is led by Naomi Neville, who regularly handles complex tax matters and estate planning issues for high-net-worth individuals. Laura Colville has experience advising farming families on succession planning mandates. Nicola Hawkins is a further standout member of the team, who is noted for being ‘particularly gifted in dealing with elderly and vulnerable clients’.
Practice head(s):
Naomi Neville
Other key lawyers:
Laura Colville; Emily Wentworth; Nicola Hawkins
Testimonials
‘Irwin Mitchell’s personal tax, trusts and probate team in Hampshire is uniquely placed to provide the highest level of expertise and service due to their depth of knowledge and experience.’
‘They have a combination of outstanding client service and excellent technical expertise.’
‘The team is a delight to work with. They are professional, empathetic, and responsive.’
‘Naomi Neville is very knowledgeable and has the ability to explain complex issues in simple terms.’
‘Emily Wentworth has always provided a great service and is very responsive. She is gracious in answering queries and keeps clients well informed as matters progress.’
‘Nicola Hawkins is an associate who is particularly gifted in dealing with elderly and vulnerable clients. She takes her time to make sure her clients understand and are comfortable.’
‘Naomi Neville’s knowledge is incredibly strong across a wide range of areas. This means that she knows the answer to some incredibly complex questions but can also understand different options across family investment companies and charities.’
‘Laura Colville provides an excellent service to clients. She has the necessary level of technical expertise.’
Moore Barlow
Moore Barlow has a breadth of experience handling succession planning issues for both domestic and international clients. The team also has a chartered tax adviser, who assists with providing in-house solutions to complex tax matters. Located in Lymington and Southampton, Naomi Wilkes heads up the team, while Flavia Mongiello is a member of the private wealth team who regularly assists with probate matters. Fiona Heald left the firm in April 2023, Alison Lloyd left in May 2023, and Philip Whitcomb departed in July 2023.
Practice head(s):
Naomi Wilkes
Other key lawyers:
Flavia Mongiello
Paris Smith LLP
With offices in Southampton and Winchester, Paris Smith LLP has extensive experience catering to private clients both in the UK as well as internationally. The team focuses its advice on ensuring the preservation of wealth, which includes handling succession planning issues, assisting with complex will drafting matters, and providing guidance on how to maximise tax efficiency. Leading the team, William Hadley is recommended for clients domiciled in the UK requiring advice on foreign assets. Kate Marsh joined the team from Moore Barlow in July 2023; she has experience handling a variety of complex estate administration matters.
Practice head(s):
William Hadley
Other key lawyers:
Kate Marsh; Jason Oliver; Anthony Nixon
Testimonials
‘Everyone in the practice is extremely knowledgeable, professional, efficient, and helpful.’
‘William Hadley is very knowledgeable. He is always very clear and helpful. He answers queries efficiently and gets things done.’
‘The team, which is headed by William Hadley, is responsive and sensitive to the needs of the client. They are keen to establish creative solutions to complex issues.’
‘William Hadley listens to the needs of his clients and takes time to consider the most appropriate way forward.’
Phillips Law
The team at Phillips Law works closely with accountants and financial advisers to take a comprehensive approach to tax matters and estate planning work. Located in Basingstoke, the team is co-led by Sian Lias and Lisa Perry. With significant experience advising high-net-worth clients, Lias is skilled in the creation and administration of trusts, while Perry routinely handles probate matters and is particularly capable in advising clients who have estates and assets located abroad. Claire-Marie Selwood is also noted for her experience drafting and reviewing wills. Leyla Whitlingum left the firm in October 2023.
Practice head(s):
Sian Lias; Lisa Perry
Other key lawyers:
Claire-Marie Selwood; Sarah Parker
Testimonials
‘Sian Lias is helpful, kind, and understanding.’
‘The tax, trusts, and probate team provide a very personable service to both their clients and professional relationships. The team at Phillips understand their field completely. They also understand and empathise with the delicate nature of the work.’
‘They are extremely professional, friendly and knowledgeable.’
‘In addition to being thorough, Sian Lias was very professional with excellent communication skills.’
‘Claire-Marie Selwood has been excellent in dealing with probate work. She understands the issues involved, which have been complex at times, and deals with them efficiently and with care. She is extremely helpful and understanding.’
‘The team have made myself and my family feel so supported throughout the process of dealing with the execution of an estate. They have made the experience seamless.’
‘The team is clearly committed to helping, and they are efficient!’
‘Sian Lias is very knowledgeable and explains areas of law in a straightforward way. She has a genuine empathy towards her clients and installs confidence in the advice she gives.’