Schillings’ prized family team departs en masse from firm
Schillings is to lose its seven-strong family team, led by partner Davina Katz, who is launching her own firm.
Macfarlanes in rare partner loss to newly-merged UK firm
The head of Macfarlanes‘ private client property group Tristan Ward has left the firm for BDB Pitmans, which merged last year. Ward joins the firm in April and will be a partner in its private wealth department. He joined Macfarlanes in 1997 and was made a partner in 2008. He will be based in BDB […]
Charles Russell Speechlys snares partner duo for arts law foray
Charles Russell Speechlys is launching a new practice aimed at capturing the legal issues surrounding the art market on an international level. The practice, which will advise market players including dealers, collectors, gallery owners and artists themselves, will be spearheaded by partners Tim Maxwell and Rudy Capildeo, who will join the firm in April from London-based […]
Gowling WLG sells Monaco office in shift from private client work
Gowling WLG’s Monaco office has been acquired by an advisory firm, nearly two decades after legacy firm Lawrence Graham launched private client-focused operations in the principality. The office has been acquired by advisory firm Maitland, with the new entity being renamed as Maitland Advisory (Monaco). It will be led by former Gowling partner Peter Walford, who will now […]
Addleshaws parts ways with Scottish private client practice after team defection
Over a year into its Scottish merger, Addleshaw Goddard has lost a ten-strong private client team to independent firm Morton Fraser. The head of Addleshaw’s private client team in Edinburgh, Gregor Mitchell, will move across to Morton Fraser, alongside legal director Euan Fleming and a team of eight consultants, solicitors, paralegals and executive assistants. The defection comes […]
Ex-Schillings trio join forces for new reputation boutique
One of Schillings’ most senior privacy partners has left the firm to launch a new boutique offering with his former colleague. Chris Scott will form the new venture Himsworth Scott with a former senior associate of Schillings Matt Himsworth, who left the firm in 2012. The pair will be joined by a third lawyer at […]
Irwin Mitchell and Pump Court rule in the discreet world of private client
Private client work is by definition discreet, but The Lawyer’s unique Litigation Tracker data highlights the stars
The Lawyer Awards 2016: pro-bono initiative
Avon & Bristol Law CentrePro bono initiative of the year The news that 90 people a month had died after being declared fit for work by the Department for Work and Pensions made headlines last summer. But while campaigners and the opposition called for an overhaul of the welfare system, law students at the Avon & […]
Boutique Law Firm of the Year 2016: Roberts Jackson
Industrial disease specialist Roberts Jackson has gone through a period of massive transformation following a £15m cash injection from private equity firm NorthEdge Capital two years ago. At at time when more firms than ever before are seeking to diversify their strategies to increase profitability, Roberts Jackson’s clear focus on industrial diseases has proven to […]
Over half a century later it’s still in the interest of justice to order a fresh inquest
Frost v HM Coroner for West Yorkshire (Eastern District) [2019] EWHC 1100, 8 May 2019
Economic substance laws: the private wealth context
By Richard Laignel Recently as part of on-going international initiatives, a large number of international finance centres (including Jersey, Guernsey, BVI and Cayman) have passed new laws requiring companies which are tax resident in such centres and also conducting certain types of activities to demonstrate that they have an adequate level of physical substance and […]
Guernsey focusing on family offices
By Russell Clark Guernsey’s recently published Financial Services Policy Framework sets out an approach to capitalise upon a range of global specialisms to ensure that Guernsey remains a strong, and stable financial centre servicing sophisticated clients from around the world. Financial services and the associated professional services that support them account for more than half […]
Which parent died first and why does it matter?
By Aidan Gtant Whilst the Evening Standard is correct that the law that is being relied on in this case is “little-used”, prudent Will-drafters should always take care to consider the impact of the commorientes rule on clients and, where possible, take advantage of the potential tax benefits. The commorientes rule determines the ownership of assets where two (or […]
Inconsistent sexual capacity decisions
What should assessors and the courts do where someone appears to have capacity in some areas of decision-making but to lack capacity in related areas?
Luxembourg – an attractive and dynamic market for private equity
With the Grand Duchy already a magnet for global private equity houses, plans to
improve bank account access offer the potential to boost its standing further
NHS Trust was ‘right’ to bring case to court
Case: University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust v J
Q&A: Cutting through complexity – how the role of private wealth advisers has changed
How has the private client industry changed? It is rare to see smaller “off the peg” trusts being established. Now the trusts I see being established are carefully tailored to the needs of high net worth families. They often include reserved powers, involve advisors in multiple jurisdictions and have to operate as part of the […]
Geoff Gray Inquest: Coroner returns a conclusion of ‘suicide’
By Rebecca de Hoest The long-running second inquest into the death of Private Geoff Gray at Deepcut Barracks ended yesterday when HH Peter Rook QC[1] returned a conclusion of suicide. Geoff was only 17 years old when he was found dead from gunshot wounds in the grounds of the Officers’ Mess at approximately 01.10 hours […]
Jersey security enforcement – ground-breaking ruling
Carey Olsen has acted in a successful application to the Jersey Royal Court, in which the Court showed its willingness to provide certainty and protection to security trustees who are looking to enforce Jersey security interests. The application was the first of its type in the context of Jersey security enforcement. While there is no […]
BVI probate process
The conflict of laws rules of some jurisdictions do not always determine clearly the situs of intangible moveable property, such as shares in a company (for example, it is not always clear whether the shares are located where the original register of members is maintained, or where the company is incorporated). However, this is not […]
Changes to the Cayman Islands’ Trusts Law take effect
By Robert Lindley, Wesley O’Brien Legislative amendments to the Cayman Islands’ Trusts Law which were passed earlier this year have been pronounced to take effect from 14 June 2019. While the reforms do not represent a drastic overhaul of the Trusts Law, they introduce welcome improvements to ensure the Cayman Islands remains a leading offshore jurisdiction for […]