What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?

Advising an international family on an initial expatriation event from the US and subsequent entry back into US residency. This involved significant planning with regards existing non-US trusts and structuring of gifts.

What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?

Be interested in your clients. Advice is so much more powerful if you understand the drivers & motivations of your clients.

What sets you apart from your peers?

I have been fortunate to work at Frank Hirth for almost 20 years, which has given me the ability to have a specialist focused area (trust & estate) within a wider private client practice. This has allowed me to go beyond a “generalist” approach to the area that I focus on l, but still allowing me exposure to other issues facing the private client.

What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?

I have advised a number of non-domiciled individuals on the ‘cleansing’ opportunity, which closed on 5 April 2019. The HMRC rules and practice were incredibly complex and my role was to navigate through the provisions and apply in practice, under a time constraint, to achieve the objective of generating clean capital which could be used in the UK. The end result of these exercises was extremely valuable for our clients, allowing them efficient access to monies in the UK which they did not previously have.

What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?

Always put yourself in the shoes of the client. The technical side of the work we do should be given, but it’s the approach and client experience which garners success, and this is only achieved through understanding what the client wants.

What sets you apart from your peers?

We are genuine partner-led service and I am very ‘hands on’ with all my clients. Client service is absolutely central to everything we do, and is never compromised.

What is your favourite quote?

Treat others how you would want to be treated in life

What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?

Helping families adjust to the very significant changes in the tax rules

What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?

Start by reading the legislation –form your own view – and then consult

What sets you apart from your peers?

I like to think of myself as a team player who works with my peers –the law is so complex, we need to help each other!

What is your favourite quote?

Keep it Simple – it’s what all clients ask for just now

What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?

Advising a successful international family on the evolution of their family office from a robust structure primarily focused on asset holding to a dynamic organisation that more fully met the family’s long-term objectives. This involved reviewing the family’s existing charter, advising how to bring this to life through the family office and trust structures and then seeing this through to implementation by establishing a governance structure and working practices to reinforce the vision and mitigate risks.
As well as the satisfaction of knowing the family was extremely pleased with the solution we delivered, it was really enjoyable to collaborate as a team with the family’s lawyers, trustees and family office executives.

What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?

This is a wonderful field to be involved in - you get to combine some very technical disciplines with the opportunity to build deep and long-lasting client relationships. Make sure you switch on your EQ and really listen to clients and what might lie behind their questions so that you understand the bigger picture before jumping in with solutions.

What sets you apart from your peers?

Having trained as a lawyer, worked in financial services and sat on the board of several trust companies, I have very broad experience. My current role is relatively unique and really draws on all this experience. My focus is on helping clients establish a purposeful and strategic approach to their wealth. I help my clients see the big picture and, as I understand how the different underlying solutions come together, I can draw on this to give really practical advice and ongoing support with implementation.

What is your favourite quote?

“Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become.” – Jim Rohn