Ms Claire Macpherson > Burness Paull LLP > Edinburgh, United Kingdom > Lawyer Profile

Situated in the firm’s wider private client practice, the personal tax and trusts team at Burness Paull LLP handles multi-jurisdictional tax and business-related matters for Scottish and international clients. Practice head Colin McKenzie acts for family investment companies and limited liability partnerships, while ‘exemplar’ Fiona Clarke counts high-net-worth individuals among her key roster of clients. Claire Macpherson advises on tax mandates and Amanda Armstrong assists with contentious liability claims. Euan Fleming left in November 2023.

Burness Paull LLP fields a team of tax experts which effectively aligns with the firm’s M&A group to advise on complex, high-value transactions, handling the tax aspects of framework agreements, share incentive schemes, loan balances, employment arrangements, and property issues. Private equity outfits are a growing part of the firm’s diverse roster of clients, as well as private individuals interested in offshore trusts, inheritance tax, and capital gains tax expertise. Team head Ronnie Brown is frequently sought out for his private equity transaction expertise, particularly by real estate-focused clients. The ‘excellent’ Christine Yuill has the ability to ‘explain complex tax issues in a user friendly way’, and Claire Macpherson specialises in inheritance and capital gains tax issues. Nicola Williams‘ broad practice sees her handle private equity transactions and share incentives. Karolina Rosochowska is also a key name to note.

Burness Paull LLP handles a broad range of private wealth disputes, including contentious wills, taxation and trust administrations, and counts private individuals, executors and beneficiaries among its key roster of clients. Claire Macpherson, who has ‘superior technical expertise’ in private client and personal tax issues, jointly leads the team alongside accredited litigator Ashley Jones, who handles private wealth disputes. Other key contacts in the group include Amanda Armstrong and Meriel Miller, who assist with tax matters and succession planning.