Gemma is an Associate in the firm’s Private Client team, advising on UK tax, estate planning, trusts and estate administration.
Gemma advises on wills, inheritance tax planning, trusts, powers of attorney, property co-ownership arrangements and estate administration. She provides practical, tailored advice to help clients achieve their personal, family and succession planning objectives.
She acts for UK-based individuals, families, trustees and executors, including high net worth clients.
Gemma is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and holds the Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation.
Olivia is a Senior Associate in the Private Client team, specialising in the full range of cross-jurisdictional private client matters for ultra high net worth individuals, family offices and fiduciaries.
She advises on complex personal tax and estate planning across multiple jurisdictions, often advising clients on the creation of offshore trusts for asset protection and succession purposes. Her practice includes advising international families on family governance, the creation, administration and taxation of trusts, and relocating to or from the UK.
Olivia is also very experienced in the preparation of wills, often with a cross-border element, and Lasting Powers of Attorney.
He acts for both UK based and international clients, advising individuals, families, and trustees on a broad range of estate planning and taxation matters.
Alex’s work includes the preparation of wills and lasting powers of attorney, UK and offshore trust structuring and administration, and the preparation of domicile statements.
We’ll make sure your estate plan protects everyone’s interests
Estate planning gives you the opportunity to plan ahead and pass on your assets in accordance to your wishes. Deciding who will inherit your assets, whether it be family, friends or organisations that are important to you, and the way they receive these assets, are all important considerations in an estate planning exercise. As well as ensuring this is done in the most tax efficient way possible.
A sophisticated estate plan will be robust enough to protect everyone’s interests, particularly where there are complex assets at play such as a family business, while being sufficiently flexible to adapt to an evolving tax and legal landscape.
Our award-winning Private Client team specialises in inheritance and estate planning for high net worth families. We will take the time to understand your wishes, talk you through your options and help put in place a bespoke estate plan that best suits your circumstances.
How we can help:
Wills
Making a will is a vital part of any estate planning exercise. An up-to-date will ensures that wealth is passed on in accordance with your (the testator’s) wishes and ensures your family members or wider network receive the gifts and shares of your estate that you wish to leave them.
At Forsters, our private client lawyers are experts in drafting and interpreting wills.
Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs)
We can advise on the making and putting in place of LPAs for both welfare and financial decisions in the event of losing capacity.
Tax planning
Our in-depth understanding of all aspects of UK taxation, enables us to advise you on the most effective use of tax reliefs such as inheritance tax and investment reliefs.
Trusts and other holding vehicles
We advise on the set up and running of appropriate holding vehicles, such as trusts or family investment companies. These structures can help provide a greater level of control over your assets.
Family business succession
We advise on business succession and structuring the family business so that it may be passed on effectively in the future.
Cross-border estate planning
Tax and succession laws differ vastly between jurisdictions. If you have assets and family members based across the world it is essential to put in place a cross-border estate plan that is informed by how the laws of each relevant jurisdiction interact with each other. With strong connections to advisors across the globe we regularly co-ordinate advice to create a holistic international estate plan that is effective across all applicable jurisdictions.
Our specialist US-UK team has vast experience of estate planning for individuals and families with US connections.
Your guide to US-UK cross-border planning
Understand the issues, avoid the traps, and discover ways to plan ahead in our Navigating the Atlantic guide for US-connected individuals and families.
Michael advises both UK‑based and international clients on a broad range of estate planning and personal tax matters.
He works closely with families across generations, providing guidance on trust structuring, tax and succession planning, and the long-term stewardship of family wealth.
His experience includes advising entrepreneurs and families with cross-border interests on the development of estate plans that support both their personal and business objectives.
Michael has particular expertise in working with older and vulnerable family members, and provides clear and practical legal advice which takes into account the sensitivities surrounding our clients’ individual and family circumstances.
He works with individuals, families and their representatives to ensure that vulnerable clients are supported in taking decisions for themselves where possible, and that decisions are otherwise taken in their best interests. He holds the STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients and won the STEP Excellence Award on this specialist subject in 2021.
Michael and Partner Jeremy Roberson lead the firm’s Community and Charity Committee, driving action aligned with the firm’s commitment to make a positive impact in our community.
Robert is Counsel in our Private Client team where he advises individuals and trustees on all aspects of private client law, and in particular:
• wills, trusts and succession planning;
• taxes (particularly inheritance tax and capital gains tax); and
• probate and administration of trusts and estates.
Within those broad areas, Robert has specialist expertise in advising the owners of rural businesses. For the entirety of his career, Robert has acted for numerous traditional landed estates which has encompassed helping families with a wide variety of matters ranging from implementing succession strategies for whole estates, through to discrete transactions such as the structuring of purchases, sales or gifts.
Julia is Counsel in Forsters’ Private Client team, specialising in advising trustees and financial institutions, both from a contentious and non-contentious angle, on tax and trust related issues arising in connection with such structures. This includes advising on global regulatory and exchange of information initiatives, tax regularisation and disclosure facilities, as well as legislative changes in the UK.
She also has extensive experience of advising international high net worth individuals and their families on their estate and wealth planning strategies and family governance. This includes developing and implementing complex cross-border structures, taking into account international tax planning considerations, domicile, the conflict of laws, forced heirship and asset protection issues.
Julia has experience of working in-house at financial institutions and is able to factor commercial realities (and constraints) into her advice and the solutions she provides.
She provides internal training on regulatory and exchange of information topics as well as mentoring junior associates. She is a native German speaker.
Jo is a Senior Associate in the Private Client team where she advises a broad range of clients including high net worth individuals, families, landed estates and trustees.
She advises both UK domestic and international clients on a wide range of tax and estate planning matters. She frequently acts for families who have cross-border personal and business interests, providing them with trust structuring, succession planning and family governance advice.
Jo has specialist expertise in advising clients from the art world, including art collectors and living artists. She advises on all matters relating to owning art, including sales and purchases; establishing tax efficient ownership structures; and advice on collection management, which includes planning in relation to heritage property.
Described as “fantastic to work with”, Jo is named in both the Art and Cultural Property and the Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate rankings of the latest Legal 500.
Henrietta is a Senior Associate in the firm’s Private Client team.
Henrietta acts predominantly for UK resident and domiciled individuals and specialises in advising the owners of farms, landed estates, large residential property portfolios and family businesses. She deals with a wide variety of private client matters, including tax and succession planning, trust matters and the preparation of wills and lasting powers of attorney.
She has particular expertise in succession planning that navigates the transition of family businesses from one generation to the next whilst maximising agricultural property and business property reliefs, with a particular interest in providing advice to owners of high value equestrian assets and businesses. Henrietta is also a chartered tax adviser, making her uniquely placed to provide specialist advice to clients whose business and personal affairs are usually inextricably linked.
Laura is a Senior Associate in the Private Client team. She plays a key role in running Forsters’ Art group which focusses on acting for galleries and auction houses, as well as UK-based and international estates, trusts, foundations and collectors. Laura is ranked as an ‘Associate to Watch’ in the Chambers HNW Guide for Art and Cultural Property.
Laura also volunteers at South Westminster Legal Advice Clinic.
Naomi is a Senior Associate in the Private Client team where she deals with the administration of high value and complex estates on behalf of executors and administrators, including professional executors, for both UK based and international high net worth and ultra high net worth individuals.
She brings a broad wealth of estate administration experience to the table, encompassing dealing with estates, especially those which involve multiple jurisdictions, charities and businesses (including family and farming businesses), and negotiating with HMRC on technical points including agreeing valuations, double taxation reliefs and domicile for inheritance tax purposes. In addition, Naomi has experience in dealing with matters which become contentious in nature, particularly those with problematic family dynamics.
Her experience also stretches to include administering large and complicated intestacies (where individuals have died, leaving no valid will) and problematic wills, and she deals with all ancillary aspects of probate, including advising on will trusts, deeds of variation and tax matters.
Naomi is a full member of STEP (The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners).
Zahava acts for individuals, families, and trustees, advising them on a wide range of private client matters. These include the preparation of estate planning documents (wills, trusts, powers of attorney and advance decisions) and the administration of estates and trusts. While most of Zahava’s clients are UK resident and domiciled, many have dual citizenship, assets abroad, or other cross-jurisdictional elements affecting their estate and succession planning.
She specialises in matters relating to mental capacity. As a Lifetime Lawyer, she is trained to work with elderly and vulnerable clients. She advises individuals and their families where diagnoses of dementia and other illnesses have an impact on the options available to them.
She was awarded the STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates (England and Wales) in 2022, also receiving the Certificate of Worldwide Excellence in the Taxation of Trusts (England and Wales) examination.
Zahava is a regular commentator on tax and transactional issues and has written for publications including FT Adviser, where she recently co‑authored an article with Rowan Harwood, read here.
Emma specialises in UK probate and estate administration and is a Senior Associate in the firm’s Private Client team.
Her expertise ranges from applying for all types of English grants of representation to advising as to succession rules where there is no valid will to undertaking domicile reviews so that succession and tax rules are correctly applied. She has extensive knowledge of HMRC’s disclosure and valuation principles and regularly assists personal representatives with their Inheritance Tax reporting obligations. She also deals with all ancillary probate matters including post-death tax planning, such as advising on and preparing deeds of variation, and the administration of will trusts.
Emma acts for both UK and non-UK personal representatives and most of her work involves a cross-border element. She has extensive experience in co-ordinating the administration of estates that span multiple jurisdictions ensuring that joined up tax advice is received. She has particular interest in administering estates with US connections and regularly works with US personal representatives and advisors.
Emma has recently completed the STEP Advanced Certificate in Cross-Border Estates.
Recognised in the 2025 eprivateclient NextGen Leaders list, Aimee is a Senior Associate in the Private Client team specialising in high value complex probate matters and the administration of estates. She acts for a range of clients, generally high net worth individuals and families both UK domiciled, and non-UK domiciled.
Her core expertise is in estate administration, obtaining grants of representation in the UK for testate and intestate estates. Aimee is experienced with reporting the extent of estates in the UK and maximising reliefs where available to ensure the correct amount of inheritance tax is paid if due. She enjoys working with international individuals and assisting with cross border work.
Aimee works closely with the executors and beneficiaries to implement post death variations to ensure the estate is dealt with as swiftly and efficiently as possible.
Aimee is a full member of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) and has completed the STEP Advanced Certificate in Cross-Border Estates. Aimee also volunteers at the South Westminster Legal Advice Centre.
Fiona is an experienced private client lawyer, having specialised in the area throughout her career. She works mainly with UK-based clients from landed estates to entrepreneurs, advising on a range of matters including wills, trusts, tax, probate and issues of mental capacity.
Described as ‘outstanding in her technical ability’ Legal 500, 2023 , she aims to provide clients with creative but practical solutions to their legal problems. Fiona frequently collaborates with colleagues and other experts in related areas such as Trust and Estate Disputes, Residential Property, and Corporate Tax. Her practice often calls upon her additional qualification as a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA).
Described by Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2024 as “incredibly bright and personable”, Daniel is also recognised for his “deep understanding of complex family dynamics and governance structures” and his extensive experience advising clients in Asia. He is a Recommended Tax Lawyer in Spear’s 500 and is ranked in The Legal 500.
As a Partner in the Private Client team, Daniel advises international individuals, families, trustees, beneficiaries, family offices and private banks on succession planning, personal taxation and trust law.
Daniel has particular expertise in the succession of family businesses, including the creation of family governance structures that support successful transitions between generations. He takes the time to understand each family’s objectives before helping them establish an appropriate legal and governance framework.
He has extensive experience advising families based in Asia, as well as those relocating to or from the region. Chambers High Net Worth Guide also recognises Daniel as a Foreign Expert in Singapore, one of only three individuals recognised in this area of private wealth law. Alongside his Asia-focused practice, Daniel advises on complex cross-border tax and structuring matters involving multiple jurisdictions.
Daniel is known for his commercial and solution-focused approach. He recognises that tax and legal frameworks change over time and works with clients to establish structures that provide long-term flexibility while supporting their evolving objectives.
Lucie is a Senior Associate in the firm’s Private Client team where she acts primarily for international clients on a broad range of estate planning and personal taxation matters, including tax and succession planning, the preparation of wills and incapacity documents, and broader trust matters.
She has a particular focus on advising high net worth clients with US connections, such as in respect of the development and implementation of integrated estate plans. She assists US-connected individuals and trustees navigate the interplay between the US and UK systems, including advising on the application of the US/UK treaties to mitigate the risk of double taxation.
Lucie advises on the establishment of trusts for succession planning and asset protection purposes, and on the UK treatment of existing structures, which may involve trusts, partnerships and corporate vehicles.
She also provides advice to clients considering relocating to the UK to ensure that their affairs are arranged in a tax efficient manner before becoming UK resident. She has experience providing immigration advice to high net worth individuals using the (previous) UK Tier 1 (Investor) Visa and the UK “Spouse Visa”. She has also assisted clients with subsequent applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK and naturalisation as a British citizen.
Rebecca provides practical and holistic advice, cutting through complex family, legal and taxation issues to give clients the information they need to achieve their objectives. Her client base is varied, and she acts for UK-resident and domiciled individuals, landed estates, charities, large families, executors and trustees on all aspects of estate and succession planning, tax, trust and probate matters.
Her work includes the preparation of wills; capital tax planning advice, including the availability of agricultural and business property relief and ways to maximise those reliefs; the creation and administration of trusts and charities; complex and high-value probates and estate administration; and mental capacity matters, including the preparation and registration of lasting powers of attorney, enduring powers of attorney and deputyship applications.
Rebecca has significant experience acting for land and business owners in establishing structures that facilitate the transfer of family assets between generations. She also has extensive experience advising on heritage property matters, including the availability of conditional exemption, offers in lieu of tax, and the interaction between inheritance tax and estate duty regimes.
Her expertise extends to preparing deputyship applications and guiding clients through the associated court process. She works closely with our Family and Divorce team where clients require pre-nuptial agreements and advises on bespoke business agreements for landed estate business owners.
Rebecca is also a qualified Notary Public, providing an additional and relatively uncommon skill that complements her wider practice.
Alfred is an international private wealth lawyer who advises multi-generational families, family offices and fiduciaries on a range of matters. These include cross-border estate, tax & succession planning, offshore trust & private foundation (re)structuring, and family and family office governance.
He has extensive experience designing bespoke wealth structures for families, often working with business founders and families on succession planning. He is Co-Chair of the Business Families Global Special Interest Group within STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) and a member of the Family Firm Institute (FFI).
Known for his client-focused approach, Alfred provides practical advice on complex issues in a clear and accessible way. Described as ‘very hard working and reliable’ in The Legal 500 2024, he advises clients across the world on wealth preservation, succession and governance matters. He is also recognised as a Rising Star in The Legal 500 and included in Spear’s Tax & Trust Indices 2025.
Alfred has a particular focus on advising international families in Asia. With family roots in Hong Kong and conversational Cantonese capability, he brings a personal understanding of the cultural and generational considerations that often arise in succession planning and wealth preservation for clients in the region. This insight helps him advise families navigating the intersection of traditional values and modern commercial realities. He regularly travels to Asia to support clients and strengthen relationships across the region especially Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam.
Since 2025, Alfred has co-led the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee alongside fellow Partner Maryam Oghanna. In this role, he helps support initiatives that contribute to an inclusive workplace where people are encouraged to thrive and be themselves.
Rupert is ranked in the latest editions of Chambers UK and The Legal 500, where clients describe him as ‘extremely knowledgeable whilst also offering pragmatic solutions’.
Rupert advises owners of landed estates, farms and other family businesses on succession planning and family governance. He also acts as trustee for a number of significant estates in England and Wales. He has extensive experience in the drafting and administration of trusts, capital tax planning, wills and powers of attorney, probate, and charity law.
He specialises in developing structures that maximise agricultural property relief and business property relief, as well as the conditional exemption of heritage property, including works of art, buildings and land.
Rupert provides strategic advice to individuals, families and trustees involved in the management of modern estates, which often encompass a diverse range of businesses and activities. These include in-hand farming, agricultural, residential and commercial lettings, holiday lets, land development, forestry, the exploitation of sporting and mineral rights, renewable energy projects, and the commercial use of historic houses. He works closely with specialists across the firm, including colleagues in the Corporate, Employment and Dispute Resolution teams, to provide holistic advice that supports his clients’ personal and commercial objectives.
Recognised as a Recommended Tax Lawyer in the latest Spear’s Tax & Trust Indices, George advises internationally mobile individuals and families on their exposure to UK taxation and the development and implementation of cross-border estate plans.
As a Partner in the Private Client team, George draws on his early career experience as a corporate tax lawyer to provide practical advice on complex legal and tax matters. He has particular expertise in helping individuals and families structure their ownership interests in businesses and develop succession plans that reflect both personal and commercial objectives.
His familiarity with US tax rules and succession planning structures enables him to advise individuals, families and trustees with US connections on the interaction between the UK and US tax regimes. This often includes helping clients address cross-border planning issues and mitigate the risk of unintended tax consequences.
George’s clients include entrepreneurs, multinational business owners, executives, family offices and family trusts.
Since 2023, George has led Forsters’ Green Impact Group, helping to raise environmental awareness and engagement across the firm. Initiatives have included organising the annual River Lea clean-up, collaborating with the Working Parents and Carers Network on a spring art competition for children connected to the firm, and partnering with the HR team to support gardening activities at the firm’s former charity partner, the Marylebone Project, as part of its wellbeing programme.
Recognised as one of eprivateclient’s “50 Most Influential” private client professionals and one of Legal Week’s Private Client Global Elite, Xavier leads Forsters’ award-winning Private Client practice.
As Head of Private Client, Xavier advises individuals, families and trustees in the UK and internationally on personal taxation, trust and estate planning. He has particular expertise in the establishment, taxation and operation of cross-border asset-holding structures, including companies, partnerships, trusts, private trust companies and foundations.
Xavier is a trusted adviser to international families and has significant experience advising families, trustees and family offices with business interests. This includes advising on family charters, family constitutions and wider family governance arrangements.
For overseas clients, Xavier advises on pre-arrival tax planning for individuals relocating to the UK and succession planning for those with assets across multiple jurisdictions. He also frequently advises clients with US connections on the UK aspects of US-UK estate planning and the interaction between the UK and US tax regimes.
Described as an ‘exceptional lawyer’ by The Legal 500, Kelly is ranked in the latest Chambers High Net Worth Guide and Spear’s 500, which highlights her expertise in advising family offices on tax and trust matters.
Kelly has been a Partner in the Private Client team since 2009 and advises families and family offices on tax, governance and succession planning. She works closely with international families to understand their objectives and establish robust, flexible asset-holding structures that support wealth preservation, tax-efficient planning and succession arrangements.
Kelly also leads the Senior Executives Advisory team, which advises internationally mobile senior executives on the tax, employment and immigration issues that can arise when relocating to or from the UK.
Since 2020, Kelly has led the firm’s responsible business programme, helping to develop and embed initiatives across the firm. Under her leadership, the programme has continued to expand and has received recognition through a number of legal sector award shortlists. Kelly was also shortlisted for the Legal 500 Environmental/Sustainability Private Practice Champion of the Year award.
Noted in The Legal 500 2024 as ‘excellent, extremely approachable, knowledgeable and, importantly, likeable’, Jeremy is a Partner in the Private Client team. He has extensive experience advising UK and international clients on personal taxation, succession planning and family governance. He works closely with entrepreneurs, business owners, executives and their families on capital taxation, corporate and trust structuring, and the development and implementation of estate plans for both UK and non-UK resident individuals.
Jeremy is known for providing clear and concise advice, helping clients achieve their objectives in a tax-efficient manner.
He has particular expertise in the structuring options and tax implications associated with acquiring UK property. He regularly advises on UK and offshore tax planning, including the taxation of excluded property trusts and trust administration matters.
Jeremy also advises extensively on family office matters, supporting both established family offices and clients looking to create new family office structures. He has particular expertise in family governance, including the establishment of private trust company structures and the preparation of family charters and other governance documents.
Since 2022, Jeremy has co-led the firm’s Community and Charity Committee alongside Michael Armstrong. In this role, he supports a range of community engagement and fundraising initiatives across the firm.
Charlotte is a Partner in the Private Client team, providing estate and business succession planning, trust law and personal tax advice to international families, family offices and fiduciaries. Many of Charlotte’s clients are based in, or have connections to, the Middle East.
She has extensive experience in creating bespoke wealth structures for clients, often involving business succession planning and the establishment of trusts and foundations. She has a particular interest in family governance, working with founders and business families to understand their values and long-term objectives and create family constitutions and wealth structures that reflect their needs.
Charlotte regularly advises trustees and beneficiaries on issues arising in the administration of trusts, including administrative court applications for rectification, rescission and the variation of trusts.
She also advises on contentious trust matters, including issues relating to the validity of trusts, applications for the removal of fiduciaries, investment disputes and the contentious division of trust assets. This experience informs her non-contentious practice, enabling her to identify and address potential risks when establishing wealth structures.
Charlotte has been described as ‘relentlessly hard-working and brilliantly insightful’ in The Legal 500. She is ranked in both Chambers High Net Worth and The Legal 500, where clients also describe her as ‘pragmatic and practical’.
Described in Chambers UK 2024 as “exceptionally knowledgeable and extremely likeable”, Emma is a Partner in the Private Client team, specialising in personal tax and wealth planning matters.
Ranked in the latest Chambers High Net Worth Guide and recognised as Top Recommended in Spear’s 500, Emma advises high net worth clients on cross-border tax and estate planning, with a particular focus on American individuals and families with connections to the UK.
Emma has extensive expertise in the creation and use of trusts as a means of succession planning and preserving family wealth. She also advises on alternative wealth structures where trust planning is not appropriate.
She has deep knowledge of the UK’s residence rules, the residual impact of the former remittance basis regime, and the tax implications of acquiring UK property, including the range of available structuring options.
Emma leads a team that advises clients with US connections, including those relocating to the UK for the first time. Her familiarity with US personal tax and wealth planning strategies enables her to help clients and their advisers navigate the interaction between the US and UK regimes. Much of this work involves advising on the application of international treaties to mitigate the risk of double taxation.
Hailed as a ‘leader in the field’ by The Legal 500 2024, Catherine advises UK-domiciled and UK-resident clients on estate planning and wealth structuring. She is praised as ‘an extremely good technical lawyer with a practical approach’ and for having ‘fantastic client skills’. Her expertise includes devising structures to hold family wealth, including companies, partnerships and trusts.
With extensive experience of managing complex estates in the UK and internationally, Catherine works closely with Forsters’ Corporate and Commercial and Family teams to deliver strategic advice on asset structuring, succession and taxation, taking into account both personal and commercial considerations.
Catherine is also highly ranked in the latest Chambers UK Guide for Art and Cultural Property Law, where she is described as having ‘an excellent reputation for dealing with contemporary artists and their estates. She is extremely knowledgeable in this space and has all the contacts that artists need’. As Head of Forsters’ Art and Cultural Property group, Catherine also collaborates with specialist art advisers through Artistate Limited, an organisation she co-founded to provide complementary services that support artists and their estates in securing an enduring legacy.
Ranked in the latest Legal 500’s Hall of Fame and Band 1 in Chambers HNW Guide, Nick is recognised as ‘a leader in his field’ for his ‘sophisticated private wealth planning advice’, and a first class lawyer.
A Consultant in the Private Client team with over 40 years’ experience, Nick is a world renowned specialist in family governance and succession planning. Working with multi-generational business families, Nick makes it a priority to understand the psychology of the family, in order to uncover the issues and deal with these head on. Only then can Nick put in place the necessary legal structures to ensure the successful transition of wealth from one generation to the next.
Nick advises a number of globally significant families, trustees and family offices with assets and family members based in multiple jurisdictions. He specialises in all aspects of cross-border estate planning, especially trusts holding family businesses, that protect against family disputes, including divorce.
With ‘a phenomenal reputation in Asia’, (Chambers 2024), Nick has a particular focus on advising families in East Asia and understands the evolving cultural dynamics facing different generations in this region. This is demonstrated by Nick’s recognition as a foreign expert in Singapore in the latest Chambers HNW Guide; one of only three individuals named for this expertise. He has also been cast as “The Godfather of Asian Family Governance”.
He also specialises in UK taxation for individuals and trusts, cross-border taxation coordination, and advises banks and trust companies on technical issues. Nick is a STEP Emeritus Member and was named ‘Trusted Advisor of the Year’ at the STEP Private Client Awards 2024. He is also Who’s Who Global Private Client Practitioner of the Year 2023.
Guy is a Partner in the Private Client team, described in the legal directories as ‘highly impressive’ and with ‘extensive knowledge’. His clients include business owners, international families, private charities and the owners of landed estates.
He advises on all aspects of private client work, and specialises in succession planning and family governance. Guy advises clients on how to ensure the orderly and tax-efficient transfer of assets from one generation to the next, whether using simple mechanisms only, or corporate vehicles and complex trusts and wills. He is an expert on the inheritance tax reliefs available to the owners of businesses and heritage assets, and often acts as executor or as a trustee of family settlements.
Guy provides succinct advice to clients, in plain English, enabling them to make their decisions in the confidence that they understand what they are doing, and that they have taken the best course of action.
Patricia is ranked as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ in the 2027 edition of The Legal 500, where she is singled out for her pragmatic approach to advising high and ultra-high net worth individuals and family offices on cross-border estate and family governance planning. She is also recognised in Private Client Global Elite’s ‘Global Excellence’ listing.
As a Partner in the Private Client team, Patricia has in‑depth expertise in all areas of estate planning and UK personal tax. She advises clients across the full range of personal lifetime and estate and succession planning matters, including advising on will planning, mental capacity issues, asset protection structuring, and cross-border probate.
Patricia has particular expertise in advising clients with complex cross‑border or multi-jurisdictional touchpoints, ensuring that the planning works across all of the relevant legal systems involved.
She frequently advises on the creation of non‑UK‑resident trusts and foundations (including Private Trust Company structures), as well as ‘health-checking’ existing structures, and advising on the termination of trusts and changes of trustee. Her wide network of intermediaries allows her to identify the right service provider to meet her clients’ needs.
A key element of Patricia’s cross-border estate planning work involves advising Asian families and family offices on cross‑border family governance and succession planning. Patricia travels to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Hong Kong on a monthly basis, advising family business owners on succession planning and structuring to pass assets down to the next generation in a sustainable manner. Patricia also has strong links to Scandinavia, particularly Norway, where she travels regularly and acts for individuals, family offices, and charitable entities in relation to cross-border estate planning. She has extensive experience in dealing with multi‑jurisdictional matters, enabling her quickly to identify the most suitable structures for clients with cross‑jurisdictional touchpoints.
James is ranked in Chambers High Net Worth and The Legal 500 and is recognised in Legal Week’s Global Elite: Private Client Global Excellence listing.
As a Partner in our Private Client team, James advises international clients – including high‑net‑worth individuals, family offices, entrepreneurs and trustees – on succession planning, tax, family governance and cryptoassets. Based in the United Arab Emirates, James leads our offering in the Abu Dhabi Global Market.
A trusted adviser to globally prominent families, James combines empathy with technical expertise and a strong commercial mindset. Whether working with family offices, entrepreneurs or senior executives, James approaches every matter with sensitivity, discretion and professionalism.
James has extensive experience in establishing trusts, foundations and corporate structures. He regularly conducts complex family governance exercises involving multiple generations and branches, with a focus on preventing disputes and fostering family harmony. He also advises on UAE structures (including ADGM and DIFC) and UAE wills.
An early pioneer in cryptoasset advisory, James is listed as a ‘Top Recommended’ adviser in Spear’s Cryptocurrency Index (2023–2025) and is the author of Cryptoassets for Private Clients. He advises some of the world’s wealthiest crypto investors and token issuers.
Carole advises UK and overseas individuals and families on tax, trust, estate and succession planning, and philanthropic matters. International in outlook, much of her work centres on cross‑border estate planning and coordinating matters for clients with assets in multiple jurisdictions.
Led by the client’s specific needs, Carole takes a proactive and strategic approach to individual matters.
Carole is ranked in the latest Chambers High Net Worth Guide and is recognised in Legal Week’s most recent Private Client Global Elite Directory. She has also received recommendations in The Legal 500.
Her clients include entrepreneurs, non‑UK‑domiciled and non‑UK‑resident individuals, family offices and the owners of landed estates. She also advises trustees, both in the UK and elsewhere, on tax matters and in relation to their duties.
Carole frequently works alongside and collaborates with colleagues in multiple teams, particularly Corporate Tax, Residential Property, Banking and Finance, and other private client specialists.
