Locations > Europe

Europe

Europe's combined wealth hit €90 trillion in 2020, with the bulk of it concentrated in Germany, France, Italy and the UK. This wealth is highly diversified and has often been passed down through several generations, either in the form of land, family businesses or investments.

We have advised leading families in Europe for over 125 years on their business, personal and philanthropic interests. Our experience includes matters in almost every European country, with particular strengths in Italy, Switzerland and France.

Our offices in Europe

Track record

Advising a cross border couple on complex estate and succession planning

Our team advised a cross border couple on complex estate and succession planning involving divergent domicile, citizenship and tax profiles, including addressing UK inheritance tax exposure, US estate tax risks and the absence of spousal exemptions, alongside assets spanning the US, UK and offshore jurisdictions. The work involved restructuring asset ownership, mitigating forced heirship constraints under Scottish law, and designing a coherent succession framework to provide for the surviving spouse while preserving long term inheritance for children (including from prior relationships), supporting family governance and the intergenerational transfer of significant business and property interests.

Brazilian born ultra high net worth individual

We advised a Brazilian born ultra high net worth individual on cross border estate and succession planning in light of anticipated reforms to the UK non dom regime, with a particular focus on mitigating inheritance tax exposure across a multi jurisdictional asset base. Our work included reviewing and restructuring offshore trust and corporate holdings ahead of new UK rules, developing tax efficient strategies for the preservation and transfer of wealth, and advising on carried interest and trust planning, culminating in a flexible, forward looking succession framework designed to support long term family governance and efficient intergenerational wealth transfer under the evolving UK tax landscape.

Group of investors on the creation of various structures

We acted for a group of co-investors on the creation of offshore structures, family offices, and trusts to hold UK and global assets. Our advice included jurisdictional reviews, Shariah-compliant planning, and charitable structuring, alongside DIFC wills for UAE assets.

International family office

We have acted for an international family office and its Monaco resident principal on complex cross-border estate, succession and governance planning, acting as a central coordinating hub for multi-jurisdictional advice across trust and corporate structures. Our work has included advising on the evolution and potential migration of key trust structures (including contingency “Plan B” arrangements), developing governance and control mechanisms to support succession across children from multiple relationships, coordinating interactions between Jersey and Australian structures (including beneficiary funding and entrepreneurial support), and advising on global incentivisation and investment platforms (including a Singapore investment company), reflecting our role as integrated adviser on long term wealth structuring, family governance and intergenerational planning.

UK‑resident ultra‑high‑net‑worth business owner

Advised a UK‑resident ultra‑high‑net‑worth business owner on complex cross‑border inheritance and succession planning following changes to Business Property Relief, including the design and implementation of a bespoke trust and holding structure to preserve control of significant operating businesses while enabling tax‑efficient generational transfer. The work involved detailed residence planning to facilitate relocation alongside the restructuring of personal and corporate assets, and the creation of a robust succession framework incorporating tailored governance mechanisms to address sensitive family dynamics and ensure the long‑term stewardship of substantial business interests.

Ultra high net worth individual and family office

We acted for an ultra high net worth individual and her family office on complex cross border estate and succession planning, with particular emphasis on the design, establishment and ongoing funding of multiple bespoke trust structures for the next generation, including the use of income based planning to maximise tax efficiency. Our work also included the preparation of coordinated UK and US testamentary arrangements and the integration of trust planning with high value international asset holdings, delivering a cohesive framework for inheritance planning, wealth preservation and intergenerational transfer across jurisdictions.

US/UK dual‑national client

Our team advised a US/UK dual‑national client on complex cross‑border estate and succession planning across assets in the US, UK, Europe and the Middle East, including the establishment of a Disabled Persons Trust to provide for a child with additional needs in a controlled and tax‑efficient manner, and the preparation of coordinated testamentary arrangements (including a worldwide will and DIFC will). Our work also involved reviewing and restructuring life insurance arrangements, advising on the governance and succession of an international consultancy business, and aligning estate planning with divorce proceedings and subsequent relocation to the UK, ensuring a cohesive framework addressing UK inheritance tax, US estate tax and wider cross‑border considerations.

UK family office

Act for a long standing UK family office overseeing UK and offshore trusts holding a substantial UK commercial real estate portfolio and diversified non UK liquid investments, with our advice focused on family governance and long term succession, including refining the family constitution, clarifying decision making and trustee oversight arrangements, and supporting next generation engagement and education. Alongside governance-led structuring, we advise on tax and trust strategy, corporate and fund structuring, debt finance, charitable planning, and the restructuring of trust and property holdings in response to changes in UK tax policy and Business Property Relief, delivering coordinated, multi jurisdictional advice across the UK, Europe and beyond. 
 

Billionaire former hedge fund manager

Act for a billionaire former hedge fund manager on the establishment and operation of a family office and downstream investment structuring, including planning for UK non-dom regime changes and the client’s phased UK exit, reviewing tax structuring for significant fund interests and ongoing US-linked compensation, and coordinating UK/US private client teams to design a control-appropriate holding framework aligned with wider dynastic succession objectives.

HNW family

Acted for the family of the former chairman of a large multinational, advising on succession and cross-border estate planning issues including: (i) implementing a bespoke hybrid trust/corporate structure—working with Israeli counsel—to give effect to divorce-related arrangements for the client’s adult child while protecting inherited trust assets and avoiding UK and Israeli tax leakage; and (ii) coordinating multi-jurisdictional estate planning for the client’s widow (Israel-resident), to streamline probate and enable efficient succession across assets and beneficiaries in the UK, US, Israel, Jersey, Spain and Belgium.

Our team

Justine Markovitz

Justine Markovitz

Partner | Geneva

Justine Markovitz

Partner | Geneva

Private client and tax

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Margaret Robertson

Margaret Robertson

CEO | London

Margaret Robertson

CEO | London

Senior management team

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Christopher Groves

Christopher Groves

Partner | London

Christopher Groves

Partner | London

Private client and tax

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Dora Clarke

Dora Clarke

Partner | London

Dora Clarke

Partner | London

Private client and tax

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Stephen Ross

Stephen Ross

Partner | London

Stephen Ross

Partner | London

Litigation and arbitration

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Suzanne Todd

Suzanne Todd

Partner | London

Suzanne Todd

Partner | London

Divorce and family

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Jeremy M Wakeham

Jeremy M Wakeham

Partner | London

Jeremy M Wakeham

Partner | London

Real estate

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Paul McGrath

Paul McGrath

Partner | London

Paul McGrath

Partner | London

Corporate

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