High net worth (HNW) and ultra high net worth (UHNW) individuals face increasingly complex challenges in managing, protecting and growing their wealth. With assets frequently held in multiple countries, family members living in numerous jurisdictions and laws and taxes changing constantly, HNW and UHNW individuals need expert legal advice across a wide range of disciplines.
The needs of individual clients and their families have always been at the heart of our practice. We provide market-leading advice to HNW and UHNW individuals from around the world on all aspects of managing, protecting and growing their wealth. Acting for some of the world's wealthiest individuals and families, we field an expert multi-disciplinary team to address all of our clients' legal needs.
As well as advising on core private client services such as tax, succession planning, wealth structuring and immigration, we provide an integrated service across all key practice areas which matter to our individual private clients, including corporate, real estate, planning, construction, family and dispute resolution.
We work seamlessly with clients' existing international legal advisers, accountants and investment advisers, as well as our own network of preferred firms offering the best possible local advice, to provide a truly international service.
Areas of focus
Our expertise includes the following:
- Tax – we cover all aspects of UK taxation for individuals (both UK resident and non-UK resident) and their asset holding structures, including assisting clients with HMRC tax investigations and disclosures.
- Wealth structuring – we commonly advise on establishing and restructuring trusts and other asset holding structures, both in England and overseas.
- Succession planning – we provide cross-border succession planning advice, including on applicable succession regimes and relevant treaties.
- Probate administration – we are experienced in the administration of estates for individuals dying domiciled both within and outside the UK.
- Trust and succession disputes – we advise on all aspects of dispute resolution in trust and succession matters, ensuring our clients understand the rights and responsibilities of each party as well as the risk and likely costs of all possible courses of action.
- Immigration – we assist private individuals wishing to move to the UK, advising on the requirements of the full range of UK immigration categories with a particular focus on family, entrepreneur, investment and settlement routes as well as UK nationality applications.
- Residential and commercial property – we assist our high and ultra high net worth clients with all aspects of their residential and commercial property needs.
- Asset protection – we provide family law advice on divorce, pre- and post-nuptial agreements and the effectiveness of asset holding structures in a matrimonial context.
- Governance – we prepare family charters, shareholders agreements and governance structures for wealthy families and their businesses.
- Transactional – we advise our high and ultra high net worth clients on the sale, acquisition and restructuring of both their business and personal assets.