Family offices

A family office can be an ideal corporate vehicle to ensure protection of substantial personal wealth through the generations, whilst meeting business and philanthropic objectives and safeguarding privacy. 

As a regulated entity, it will require careful corporate structuring and planning with regard to tax liabilities, regulatory compliance and employment strategy.  Expert legal advice is essential to ensure compliance with financial authorisation, governance, risk management and staff incentives and remuneration are managed carefully.

Forsters provides integrated advice from our Private Client, Corporate, Financial Services Regulation, Employment, Dispute Resolution and Family teams.  We have advised many single and multi-family offices on matters ranging from strategic planning through structuring and set up, governance and risk management, to expansion and mergers.

We advise clients on the creation of trusts, private trust companies, FCA authorised private open ended investment companies, limited partnerships, onshore and offshore corporate vehicles which invest in real estate, private equity, hedge funds and other specialised asset classes.   We also advise on fund documents such as offering memoranda, investment management agreements, custody agreements, and prime brokerage agreements.

Our lawyers have extensive experience of cross border regulatory frameworks and structures and work with advisers in other jurisdictions. This approach affords our clients complete understanding of local regulatory, tax and asset protection issues in offshore environments. 

We can also assist with:

  • family office governance
  • pre and post-nuptial agreements and preparing for divorce
  • employment and remuneration strategies
  • sale, restructuring, mergers or expansion
  • dispute resolution
  • succession planning.

The Life Cycle of Family Wealth

From growing a business to starting a family or handing over control of that business to the next generation, every individual has their own goals to aspire to. Our Private Wealth lawyers advise our clients throughout this family life cycle, providing the legal advice required for specific transactions such as purchasing a home or selling a business, whilst also advising on the long-term opportunities for succession and estate planning.

Forsters' Private Wealth - The Life Cycle of Family Wealth logo

Private Client 2021 - Lexology - Getting The Deal Through

In Lexology Getting the Deal Through's Private Client 2021 guide, Forsters' Private Wealth team have outlined the important estate planning issues that international clients need to consider if they wish to invest in or come to the UK.

A busy international motorway scene from above



Our Insights

"A solid and well-established firm, particularly on trust and probate disputes."  
Chambers HNW
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