Jordan Williams
+44 (0)203 039 3040
Jordan Williams
Senior Client Partner | Artorius
OFFICE LOCATION
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
United Kingdom
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Family Office Advisory
UK Real Estate (Residential & Commercial)
Wealth Management
RECOMMENDED SPECIALISMS
Financial Advisory Firm
Private Investment Office
CROSS-BORDER CLIENT EXPERIENCE IN
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
Developing a robust, long-term, investment, wealth management, and family governance framework and strategy for a wealthy multi-generational family, fulfilling the role of their Family Office. At the outset, the family had little idea about: the wealth they had (their worth, the composition of their wealth, where potential risks lay), the purpose of their wealth, what they wanted to achieve with their wealth whilst having no succession planning provisions, little protection of the family wealth from various outside factors, and no measures to ensure the accountability of their advisors. The family now have an accountable Family Office structure with a bespoke investment and wealth management strategy (which includes access to Alternatives such as Real Estate and Private Equity), with clearly defined mandates that aim to meet specific objectives over the short, medium and long term which we helped them establish, monthly consolidated reporting across their entire estate providing clear visibility of their wealth, enhanced family governance which includes an Investment Policy Statement, a Family Charter, and clear succession plan, as well as an online portal providing document library and access to all aspects of their wealth from anywhere in the world. I have helped make a massive difference to their lives – most importantly – they have now more time, and are more relaxed, to enjoy their life.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
"It’s all about relationships – creating new ones but importantly spending time and exerting energy in maintaining those which are existing.
I would advise anyone to take a meeting because you never know what that meeting will yield. I have developed my client base and network from scratch – simply from meeting as many people as I can, not be afraid to be told ‘no’, persevering, and focus on your natural abilities."
What sets you apart from your peers?
I love my job, I love the people I work with, and I thoroughly enjoy the interaction I have with my clients who I am able to establish extremely productive relationships with. I take great pride in my role as their Trusted Advisor and in understanding the needs of the family’s I work with, I am proactive, diligent and will always pick up my phone. I am able to deliver entirely unconflicted and impartial advice to my clients and can clearly demonstrate my motivation to think long-term and serve generation after generation"
What is your favourite quote?
“When the world says give up, hope whispers try it one more time”
Adam Wethered
Adam Wethered
Partner | Owl Private Office
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
England and Wales
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Investment strategy
Advising clients
Managing businesses
RECOMMENDED SPECIALISMS
Private Investment Firm
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
Working with international trustees and their beneficiaries as they go through very significant changes.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
Happiness is meeting or exceeding expectations – so make sure you set clients’ expectations realistically.
Master the technical aspects of the business, but listening well and understanding people is even more important.
Focus on what clients need to buy, not what you want to sell.
What sets you apart from your peers?
A 47 year career in law and financial services.
Managing very large businesses at JP Morgan, as former Chairman of JP Morgan London Offices, Co-Head of Corporate Finance, EMEA, European COO, and Head of Private and Institutional Clients EMEA.
Since which, I have invested in several entrepreneurial businesses, and co-founded two smaller ones:
Lord North Street, a multi asset class discretionary private investment office, sold in 2014, and
Owl Private Office, an investment consulting office, serving UNHW families and endowments.
What is your favourite quote?
“Our best asset is the client’s belief in the integrity of our advice” JP Morgan Jnr.
Charlotte Thorne
Charlotte Thorne
Founding Partner | Capital Generation Partners
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
United Kingdom
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Investment management
Good governance
Family wealth
RECOMMENDED SPECIALISMS
Private Investment Firm
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
Winning some fantastic new clients thanks to a great team effort and genuine connectivity with the clients.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
Build your networks and share your knowledge and contacts. Everyone likes working with professional, generous and genuine people.
What sets you apart from your peers?
We only ever do what’s right for our clients.
What is your favourite quote?
“We often miss opportunity because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work” Thomas Edison
Jacqueline Shek
Jacqueline Shek
Executive Director | Zedra
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
Hong Kong
New South Wales, Australia
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Wealth planning
Family governance for Asian families
Contentious trust matters
RECOMMENDED SPECIALISMS
Private Investment
Multi-National Families
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
Acting as Chairman of the Hong Kong Trustees’ Association with a very tangible role to promote the interest of the trust industry and to lift industry standards. On the business side, getting Zedra, a relatively new name, really known out here in Hong Kong as the trustee of choice for private clients.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
Be curious. Be nosey. Dealing with sophisticated UHNW families require the technical ability to deal with some very big and complex commercial transactions, but at the same time, you are dealing with people and their families on a very personal level and that requires the personal touch to really understand your client’s values and underlying concerns.
What sets you apart from your peers?
I have seen a lot both from the set up and the bust up end in the life cycle of family trusts; gaining valuable insights on how to get it right, how things can go wrong, and how to future proof the asset planning structures. I have also had the pleasure of working in depth with trusts from a wide variety of jurisdictions in Asia Pacific, the Caribbean and the Channel Islands.
I started as a tax and trust lawyer with Baker & McKenzie and advised on the set up of many trusts and charities, gaining a lot of structuring experience. I then moved on to become global legal counsel of the HSBC private trust business and had to deal with a lot of trust and estate disputes; dramatic family disputes, claims against the trustees/ executors, defending trusts from hostile third parties claims, and also non-contentious court applications on momentous trustee decisions or esoteric points of trust law.
What is your favourite quote?
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
Vlad Portnoy
Vlad Portnoy
Managing Partner | Law Offices of Vlad Portnoy, P.C.
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
New York
New Jersey
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Estate Planning
Probate and Administration of Estates (including cross-border)
Guardianships
RECOMMENDED SPECIALISMS
Private Investment Office
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
Many exciting and challenging legal matters, including several highly coveted fiduciary Court appointments
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
Listen to your clients. Understand not only their immediate needs but also their hopes, dreams and motivations. Always try to understand your client better as a human being before bringing it back to the legal or business talk.
What sets you apart from your peers?
Personal touch and care. Also, I am bilingual in English and Russian. Having received high school education in Russia, and having gone through graduate and law programs in the United States, I keenly understand the way both countries operate and the way their citizens think and behave. As court-certified interpreter, I can translate not only between the two languages but also convey ideas, so nothing is ever lost in translation.
What is your favourite quote?
"I can accept failure. But I can't accept not trying." - Michael Jordan
Arabella Henman
Arabella Henman
Client Director | Capital Generation Partners
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
United Kingdom
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Investment management
Family wealth
Private Equity
RECOMMENDED SPECIALISMS
Private Investment Office
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
I take satisfaction from the team being awarded the PAM award for quality of service and Reporting UHNW. As well as the three new clients signed in 2019; all of whom sought a collaborative approach to their investment process and a desire to build on their investment knowledge as they assume CIO roles for their mandates.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
People are at the heart of our industry. Take time to understand them and always be authentic.
What sets you apart from your peers?
Having two wealth owners at the heart of our business ensures the highest level investment excellence, integrity and service.
What is your favourite quote?
“There's a lot of difference between listening and hearing.” ― G. K. Chesterton