Clare Archer leads the practice at Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP, which has considerable international expertise and frequently assists UK resident and non-resident, non-domiciled individuals and international families, as well as family offices and business owners. Archer has developed a particular interest in family office work. James d’Aquino heads the international tax and succession team in the private client department, and also oversees the tax disputes team. Tristan Smale, who was promoted to the partnership in April 2025, acts for prominent Greek and Cypriot families and their family offices, as well as institutional trustees and private banks.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘James d'Aquino has a good level of technical knowledge and fights for his clients.'
‘PMC stands out amongst its peers based on a mix of the calibre of the teams plus the personal approach to working with peers and clients alike.'
‘We in particular rate Tristan Smale who recently made partner in the Private Client team who helps co-ordinate our relationship across the team in London and the regions. Staff continuity and hiring the best - great service, reasonable cost and responsiveness are key to us.’
- 'Very impressive academically and administratively.'
- 'Clare Archer is helpful, responsive and extremely knowledgeable, and great to deal with.'
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Clare Archer
Other key lawyers
Tristan Smale; James d’Aquino