Rob May
Rob May
Life Insurance & Inheritance Tax Planning | SPF Private Clients
JURISDICTION
England and Wales
TOP SPECIALISMS
Estates: Planning
Family Governance and Business
Tax Advisory
Office Location
United Kingdom
Short Biography
Rob is a leading international life insurance adviser and TEP. He acts for high-net-worth individuals, trustees and businesses based in the UK and internationally. He has more than 10 years’ experience in the high value life insurance space, including as a Director at John Lamb and at Risk Assured. He now leads the Private Office life insurance business within SPF Private Clients, a former subsidiary of Savills which is now part of the Howden Group, a leading international insurance intermediary group. Rob’s in-depth knowledge of and access to both UK and international life insurance markets, combined with his background in wealth and estate planning, enables him to take a unique and holistic approach, whilst being sympathetic to cross-border tax considerations. He is acknowledged within the Private Client community for his ability to handle significant sums and complex risks, and he enjoys working in a complementary fashion with other professional advisers.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
67 Pall Mall
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
If you do not ask, the answer will always be no
What was your first job?
Double glazing telesales whilst I was still at school - It taught me how to handle rejection!
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
How to win friends and influence people
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Given what appears to be the inevitability of a change in the UK government in 2024, I am anticipating a further increase in the use of life insurance as a means of planning for non-UK domiciled clients. Helpfully, being part of the Howden Group provides us with access to multiple international life insurance markets and products, and puts us in an unrivalled position to assist such clients.
Paul Levy
Paul Levy
Partner | Druces
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Tax Advisory
Office Location
United Kingdom
Short Biography
Paul is a Partner in the Private Wealth department and is the lead partner for our contentious work in this field. His practice covers a broad range of work for UK and international families and entrepreneurs, encompassing everything from Wills and probate (and the disputes they sometimes trigger) to the most complex tax planning. He has a particular focus on working with international clients, especially concerning trusts and other wealth structuring opportunities.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Paula Steele
Paula Steele
Director | John Lamb Hill Oldridge
JURISDICTION
England and Wales
TOP SPECIALISMS
Estates: Planning
Family Governance and Business
Office Location
United Kingdom
Short Biography
Paula is a chartered financial planner and has worked within the John Lamb business for over 40 years. She is admired for her technical expertise and ability to deal with the planning for UNHW clients, particularly utilising life insurance as a tool.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
Orrery
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Never expect anyone to thank you - if you get thanks its a bonus
What was your first job?
Actuarial trainee for insurance company
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
Salt Path
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Increased work with international insurers for international clients
Peter Gillis
Peter Gillis
Managing Associate | Stephenson Harwood
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Dispute Resolution or Arbitration
Trusts: Contentious
Office Location
United Kingdom
Short Biography
Peter is a specialist in contentious trusts and private wealth disputes. Peter has significant experience in complex, high value, trust disputes in the private wealth and financial services sectors (both onshore and offshore).
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
Brigadiers
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Don't try to do everything yourself
What was your first job?
Solicitor
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
Money by Martin Amis
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
More and more succession disputes for Asia-based families/clients
Piers Barclay
Piers Barclay
Partner | Macfarlanes
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Estates: Planning
Family Office
Relocation and Cross-Border Advisory
Office Location
United Kingdom
Short Biography
Piers is the head of private client at Macfarlanes. He specialises in succession, tax and estate planning advice for individuals and their families as well as related advice to trustees and other private client service providers, such as family offices. In addition to UK-based clients, much of his work has an international element, including structuring multi-jurisdictional estates, using trusts in civil law and Shari’a law countries and advising non-UK trustees on tax and fiduciary matters. He has experience in UK pre-arrival planning for non-domiciliaries, remittance basis advice and the implementation of trusts, wills and associated mechanisms on arrival, both for entrepreneurs and for other high-net-worth individuals. Piers is also involved in the post-death administration of estates, both in the UK and in the international context.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Piers Master
Piers Master
Partner | Charles Russell Speechlys
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Estates: Planning
Family Office
Trusts: Planning
Office Location
London, United Kingdom
Short Biography
Piers acts for high net worth individuals from across the world, but especially from the Middle East, where he acts for many ruling family members and billionaires – many of whose families have US links. His work for these families includes advising on the establishment of global asset holding structures, family governance projects and global real estate investments. Some of his work focuses on advising people investing in or moving to the UK; other work is global. He is a Visiting Professor at the University of Law, a Council Member of the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law, and an International Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He lectures regularly in the UK and internationally on matters of private client interest.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
Sarracino, my local Italian in West Hampstead
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
Trainee solicitor at Allen & Overy
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
More global mobility (of people and capital) as the world becomes a more uncertain place
Polly Wilkins
Polly Wilkins
Partner | Kobre & Kim
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Civil Fraud
Commercial Litigation
Reputation and Crisis Management
Office Location
United Kingdom
Short Biography
Polly Wilkins, head of Kobre & Kim’s International Private Client integrated offering, focuses on representing ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their families in reputation defense relating to complex, cross-border litigation and investigations. Ms. Wilkins advises clients facing allegations of fraud or misconduct and develops strategies to mitigate business and reputational risks to their global interests in key jurisdictions such as Cyprus, Switzerland, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and offshore. She is accustomed to working closely with various stakeholders and clients’ advisors—including crisis communications and public relations firms, investigators, private family offices, and wealth advisors—to formulate robust factual narratives that effectively counter the allegations facing her clients. Ms. Wilkins fosters strong relationships with clients, seeking to understand how they think, what they value, and what they want to achieve. This foundation enables her to adeptly navigate crises and address clients’ personal needs and commercial realities.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Rachel Atkins
Rachel Atkins
Partner - Head of Legal | Schillings
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Dispute Resolution or Arbitration
Reputation and Crisis Management
Office Location
United Kingdom
Short Biography
Rachel is a leading Reputation and Privacy lawyer and Partner at Schillings - the world's only business holding all the specialists needed to protect reputation, privacy and security - under one roof. Head of the Legal Team, Rachel acts for high-net-worth individuals, families and corporates, from the UK and internationally. She is instructed in crisis situations, managing complex cases and the strong personalities involved. A highly skilled litigator, clients view Rachel as “a ninja litigator that can see round corners”, “fantastic at her job and not fazed by anything.” She is a problem solver who takes control in a crisis, helping clients stay on the front-foot to prevent a crisis from developing in the first place. Rachel is consistently recognised in Chambers’ Defamation and Reputation Management directory, as a leading individual by Legal 500, was featured in The Lawyer Hot 100 list, and as The Times’ 'Lawyer of the Week'.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Rachel Davison
Rachel Davison
Partner | Taylor Wessing
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Family Office
Trusts: Planning
Tax Advisory
Office Location
United Kingdom
Short Biography
Rachel advises ultra high net worth individuals and families, trustees and family offices on wealth preservation, specialising in succession and UK tax matters, typically with an international and cross-border focus. Rachel has particular experience in advising clients with links to the US, and a significant part of her practice involves a US dimension. Rachel regularly assists clients with HMRC enquiries and voluntary disclosures, including for US-connected private clients who may be subject to US tax audits. Rachel's practice includes advising on asset holdings structures, such as trusts, corporate entities and foundations. She has significant experience working alongside offshore intermediaries in the ongoing operation and fiscal implications for such structures.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
The Wolseley, London
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Whenever faced with what seems an intractable problem, if it is after 7pm, to go home and get some sleep, and said problem will most likely be solvable in the morning!
What was your first job?
Folding t-shirts at Sports Direct
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Dealing with a possible change in government in the UK, and if so, abolition of the non-dom regime. Increasingly, clients are more concerned with privacy and simplicity in their structures, as well as good governance, and so our advice must follow suit.
Olga Nechita
Olga Nechita
Partner | Fragomen
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Immigration
Office Location
United Kingdom
Short Biography
Olga is a Director in Fragomen’s London office and works within the firm’s Private Client team. Olga specializes in complex cross border immigration consultancy projects involving global private clients. She focuses on providing strategic support and planning to senior executives, entrepreneurs, high-net-worth individuals, and their multinational businesses. She has comprehensive experience leading immigration transformation projects which drive forward efficiency, immigration compliance, and financial profitability.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?