Independent UK law firm Burges Salmon is pleased to announce the appointment of partner Jim Aveline as the new Head of its Private Client Services department.
Jim, who will be taking over the role from John Barnett, specialises in tax, trusts and estate planning, and also heads the firm's Family Business team. Jim’s practice reflects the broad range of clients the firm’s Private Client Services department acts for whether UK or offshore, entrepreneurs, landed and farming clients, trustees, family businesses and family offices, all needing advice on how families should hold and protect their assets and pass them down to the next generation. Jim founded and ran a number of start-up businesses before he trained at the firm 20 years ago.
John Barnett will continue in his role as a key partner for the firm’s Private Client Services department, with a focus on providing clients with advice in relation to international and tax matters.
Jim says: “It is a great privilege for me to be appointed as the new Head of the firm’s Private Client Services department. Under John’s leadership over the past seven years, the department has made fantastic progress, both in terms of building our impressive roster of clients and also enhancing our profile in the market, and I’m excited to be taking on this important role to continue that positive growth.”
Burges Salmon’s Private Client Services department is nationally recognised for providing clear and practical legal advice to clients in the UK and abroad. It works with a wide variety of clients including entrepreneurs, landowners, Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWI), High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI), trustees and family offices, both onshore and offshore. With one of the largest private client law offerings in the UK, the team has an expert pool of knowledge, helping its clients to mitigate tax, structure their affairs, preserve their property and pass it on to their successors, including advice on divorce and nuptial agreements. The team has extensive experience of cross-border estate and succession planning, international tax and property structuring, and settling family disputes. It also advises global financial institutions on the provision of trust and tax planning services.
Roger Bull, Burges Salmon’s Managing Partner, says: “During his tenure in leading this team, John has overseen significant growth of the department and also boosted its reputation to new heights. I wish Jim all the very best in continuing these successes over the coming years and I thank John for his dedication and leadership.”
Jim’s role as Head of Private Client Services at Burges Salmon takes effect from 1 May 2023 and he will be working alongside Suzanna Harvey, who was appointed as the firm’s new Head of its Private Wealth Sector in February 2023.