Rupert Mead > Forsters LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Forsters LLP
22 Baker Street
LONDON
W1U 3BW
England

Work Department

Private client.

Position

Partner

Career

Rupert advises on a wide variety of private client matters including the drafting and administration of trusts, drawing up wills and powers of attorney, probate, charity law and family governance.

He specialises in advising the owners of landed estates, farms and other family businesses on capital tax planning and succession issues, and acts as trustee of a number of significant estates in England and Wales.

Rupert has particular expertise in putting in place structures to maximise agricultural and business property relief, as well as the conditional exemption of heritage property, including works of art, buildings and land. He also provides strategic advice to individuals, families and their trustees, whose interests often cover a broad range of activities and business enterprises including in-hand farming; agricultural, residential and commercial lettings; holiday lets; land development; forestry; the exploitation of sporting and mineral rights and renewable energy sources; and the commercial use of historic houses.

Rupert is ranked in Chambers UK Guide 2023 and is recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ in the Legal 500 2023 edition for his work on agriculture and rural affairs.

Rupert trained at Stephenson Harwood and moved to Forsters on qualification in 2003. He became a Partner in 2011.

Memberships

Law Society; STEP; Country Land & Business Association (CLA); Agricultural Law Association (ALA).

Education

The King’s School, Canterbury; University of St Andrews (1999 MA).

Leisure

History, fishing, shooting and conservation.

Lawyer Rankings

London > Private client > Agriculture and estates

(Leading individuals)

Rupert MeadForsters LLP

The large team at Forsters LLP has an excellent reputation in the market and is led by Henry Cecil, who has a vast array of experience in high-value acquisitions and disposals in the agricultural sector. Its sophisticated client base includes sizeable landed estates, families and trusts, private and commercial investors as well as very wealthy individuals, and institutional and landowner groups. Andrew Lane has a particular emphasis on capital taxation and succession issues for the owners of landed estates. Christopher Findley is increasingly advising on planning and development projects for farmers and landowners. Rupert Mead has a keen focus on the preservation of heritage property and its exemption from tax. Penny Elliott specialises in advising clients with multiple business interests. There have been a number of internal promotions in the practice recently – Polly Montoneri was promoted to the partnership and Robert Keylock is was promoted to counsel.

London > Private client > Art and cultural property

Under the leadership of Catherine Hill, the art and cultural property group at Forsters LLP has a wealth of experience in acting for collectors, artists, galleries, auction houses and the owners of historic houses on a broad range of issues. It continues to be busy advising on various significant sales and acquisitions of heritage art, and the group also garners praise for its work on an array of complex contentious art and cultural property matters. Rupert Mead has considerable expertise in advising on the taxation of heritage property, and Guy Abrahams has extensive knowledge of how to structure the acquisitions and disposals of art by individuals, trustees and companies in a tax efficient way.