Private client
Payne Hicks Beach LLP has ‘all bases covered’ under the excellent stewardship of Rosamond McDowell. Its high-net-worth clients stem from the UK and internationally, with many featuring in the Sunday Times Rich List, Forbes 400 and the Arabian Business Rich List. The practice continues to receive a steady stream of instructions from Scandinavia and the Middle East. Robert Brodrick’s expertise spans the Middle East, US/UK, and UK domestic work. Frederick Bjørn advises a broad range of UK and international clients, and Basil Dixon advises numerous international and UK-based UHNW clients. Martin Paisner CBE is a well-known figure in the market, while Sam Carver remains a trusted adviser to international families, their trustees, and advisors. Clare Hetherington also plays a pivotal role in the practice, as does Emma Harris. There have been a number of additions to the partnership. Phineas Hirsch joined the firm from Withers LLP in October 2024. Rupert Burchett was promoted to the partnership in December 2024.
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Private Client
Position
Robert is Chair of the Payne Hicks Beach Management Board and a Partner in the firm’s Private Client department.
With over 25 years’ experience, Robert provides specialist tax, trust and estate planning advice for wealthy individuals, their advisers and trustees. His clients include non-domiciliaries, UK-based families, international families with assets in multiple jurisdictions, landed estate owners and business people. His practice includes three core geographic areas: Middle East, US/UK and UK domestic (including UK resident non-doms).
Robert is a Trustee of a number of UK trusts including several that hold heritage assets, and he also acts as Executor and is a Court appointed Administrator of a large contentious estate. He also acts as Protector in relation to offshore trusts. He advises on contentious trust and probate work, and has recently been involved in applications to vary and rectify trusts both in the UK and offshore.
Robert has developed a reputation for advising a number of high-profile US families based in the UK (alongside their existing US advisers) and is very experienced at advising Middle Eastern families on the creation and reorganisation of trusts, including Sharia compliant structures. He is known for his sensitive handling of complicated family situations.
Robert is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. He is a prolific legal commentator, speaking at conferences and seminars in a number of locations worldwide, including London, New York, Geneva, Bahrain, Dubai, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
Robert has received numerous industry awards throughout his career. He is regarded as ‘outstanding in his field’ and classed as ’one of the world’s elite private client lawyers providing expertise to ultra-high net worth clients’.
Career
Robert qualified in 1998, joined Payne Hicks Beach as a partner in 2012 and became Chair of the Management Board in 2019, having trained at Withers and been a partner at Trowers & Hamlins since 2007.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Rosamond McDowell has been outstanding in helping all generations of the family respond to the recent changes and challenges of family taxation and law. Calm, patient, experienced and wise, she has been a real star.’
‘Robert Brodrick is excellent - safe pair of hands. Very good for landed clients and those wanting good sound advice.’
‘Old school and unflashy, but their reputation as the best is well earned.’
‘James Bacon - the doyen of trusts and probate, a family adviser in the finest tradition. Clarissa Ferguson - first on the team sheet, as cheerful as she is hardworking.’
‘I feel supported by the team who are warm, empathic and highly knowledgeable. They help me to negotiate an unfamiliar realm for me in a non-patronising and engaging way. I highly value Rosamond Mc Dowell.'
‘Emma Harris is an excellent Private Client Partner. She is extremely thorough and decidedly proactive in her management of cases; much to the benefit of her clients. This coupled with her good technical ability and pragmatic mindset of how best to proceed mean that she gets results.'
'Adam Woodhouse is a rising star and stand-out senior associate. He is a joy to work with and is tenacious in getting the job done.’‘Emma Harris is everything you want from a private client partner - discreet, resourceful and committed to her clients' interests. Adam Woodhouse is the full package - great clients, hard-working and diligent.’