Areas of Practice
Track Record
Advising an international entrepreneur on the tax-efficient transfer of £30m of shares in a privately owned business into trust for children in advance of an IPO. This involved asset protection considerations, securing business property relief for inheritance tax purposes and hold-over relief for capital gains tax purposes. It also required swift service in order that the transfer could occur suitably in advance of the IPO
Advising on the UK tax implications of a proposed corporate restructuring for a multi-jurisdictional, family business held in an offshore trust and liaising with other advisers in various different jurisdictions to ensure a full understanding of the global tax implications
Assisting a significant family business client in reviewing family governance and inter-generational succession plans, advising on the potential benefits of adopting a family charter and on associated asset and wealth protection options and strategies
Advising a wealthy non-UK resident, non-UK domiciliary on the impact of his spending more time in the UK. This included structuring an associated UK property purchase, advice in respect of his Wills and succession planning and taking the laws and tax regimes of various jurisdictions into account (dovetailing the structuring accordingly)
Awards & Rankings
Chambers HNW, Ranked Individual, 2018 – 2023
Legal 500, Hall of Fame, 2020, 2021 & 2023
Legal Week Private Client Global Elite, Elite Lawyer, 2022
Spear’s Tax Lawyers Index, Top Recommended, 2022
Recommended Tax Lawyer in the Spear’s Tax & Trust Index, 2021
Spear’s 500, Top 10 Tax & Trust Lawyers, 2017 – 2021
EprivateClient Top 50 Most Influential, 2017 – 2019
Chambers Global, Top Ranked Individual, 2019
Chambers UK, Top Ranked Individual, 2017 & 2019
Spear’s Leading Tax Advisers, Top 10, 2018
Legal Week Private Client Global Elite, Top 200, 2018, 2019 & 2021
Legal 500, Leading Individual, 2017 & 2018
Chambers Global, Ranked Individual, 2017
Chambers HNW, Top Ranked Individual, 2017
Publications
Business Families and Family Businesses STEP Handbook for Advisers 2018
Tolley’s Estate Planning
Memberships
International Academy of Estate and Trust Law (TIAETL)
Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS)
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) (member of the editorial board for STEP Journal)
Education & Qualification
University of Southampton
Qualified as a solicitor in 1999
Recommended by Simon
In this episode, Alberto Lidji and Clare Stirzaker are joined by Sarah Woolnough. Sarah is the CEO of Asthma + Lung UK, a charity leading the fight to improve care and support for everyone with a lung condition. Together Alberto, Sarah and Clare look at the impact donations and supporters have on charities and the work undertaken to build personal relationships with philanthropists to build trust and ensure a mutual partnership is aligning with the objectives of both parties.
Read more 3 min read 01 Sep 2023 James Woods-Davison speaks at the ThoughtLeaders4 & ContTrA event on ‘Investments & ESG’Senior Associate, James Woods-Davison is speaking at the ThoughtLeaders4 & ConTrA Private Client Summer School: The Ultimate Insider’s Guide, taking place at Downing College, Cambridge on 30 August – 1 September 2023.
Read more 4 min read 15 Aug 2023 The Lessons in Legacy Podcast: Episode Three, In Conversation with Maria VillaxIn the third episode of The Lessons in Legacy Podcast, Partner, Clare Stirzaker is joined by Maria Villax, Head of Family Governance and Solutions at the Bedrock Group. Together they discuss the intangible value of legacy, how family governance tools work with a family constitution and the importance of encapsulating and defining what a family is about.
Read more 4 min read 31 Jul 2023 Boodle Hatfield achieves best financial results in its 300 year historyBoodle Hatfield, a leading private wealth and real estate law firm, continued its trajectory of profitable growth by announcing today that fee income during the 2022-23 financial year rose from £30.7m to £32.5m, reflecting a 5.8% year on year increase. These financial results come as the firm closes its 300th year in business – making this the best year on record.
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