News & Insights

Trustees of high-risk buildings could unexpectedly find themselves criminally liable as the Principal Accountable Person (PAP) if they are non-compliant with the Building Safety Act. Partners, Clare Stirzaker and Sarah Rock, and Trainee, Clemie Stent, explain the key duties and risks.

The introduction of VAT on private school fees has triggered a wave of independent school closures, presenting both challenges and opportunities for the real estate market. In Estates Gazette, Real Estate Partner, Sophie Henwood highlights the key legal, planning and financial considerations investors must address when looking to repurpose these historic and architecturally significant properties.

Sarah Rock joins host Amelia Fletcher-Blackburn at Causeway Technologies on their Deconstructing Digital podcast, to explore the legal foundations of digital delivery, from BIM definitions and the Building Safety Act to the Golden Thread and beyond. Sarah shares practical insights on embedding enforceable digital requirements into contracts and navigating the legal and operational realities of digital construction, so critical data doesn’t go amiss.

Senior Associate, Clare Pooley and Associate, Will Finnerty have been named as one of the 2025 eprivateclient NextGen Leaders. The annual list of leading young private client practitioners in the UK and Crown Dependencies recognises outstanding professionals and talent, highlighting their technical excellence and growing influence. This accolade affirms Clare and Will’s exceptional client service, commitment, and cross-border expertise.

Amid significant changes to inheritance tax on the horizon, many long-standing family business owners are reconsidering their future, with some being advised to sell their business or shift their base abroad in anticipation of reduced Business Property Relief (BPR). In a recent Telegraph article, Partner and Head of Private Wealth, Hayden Bailey comments on the growing pressure facing UK family businesses, noting “there’s less desire to build a generational family business in the current climate.”

Back in June, we celebrated the launch of the STEP Business Families and Family Businesses Handbook with a distinguished panel of advisers and family business experts. The evening explored the evolving challenges of advising family businesses, from succession planning and governance to the human and interpersonal dynamics that shape long-term success.

Lease renewals can be a complex process, especially when the lease is contracted out of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. Real Estate Partner, Sophie Henwood, has produced a short guide for new property investors, outlining key considerations for negotiating a renewal, for both landlords and tenants.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s engagement to long-term partner Georgina Rodríguez may be a celebrated occasion, but for family lawyers and financial advisers, it raises a number of significant cross-border considerations for high-net-worth couples. Partner and Head of Family, Emily Brand, spoke to EPrivateClient about the importance of prenuptial planning across jurisdictions, particularly in light of Ronaldo’s international lifestyle and current residence in Saudi Arabia. The Ronaldo-Rodríguez engagement highlights the modern intersection of family law, wealth planning and international jurisdiction.

As family businesses grow in value and complexity, the impact of a marital breakdown can be significant – emotionally, financially and operationally. In Professional Adviser, Family Partner and Mediator, Katie O’Callaghan explains why pre-nuptial agreements are increasingly viewed as essential tools for business continuity and governance. From protecting shareholdings and preserving privacy, to preventing forced sales and family disputes, Katie outlines why responsible succession and business planning now often includes the ‘pre-nup conversation’.

Over the next two decades, Africa will see its most significant transfer of wealth from one generation to the next. Yet, statistics show that many family businesses fail by the third generation. In African Business Magazine, Private Wealth Partner, Julie Howard explores strategies wealthy African families can adopt to succeed in preserving their wealth, unpacking why succession planning is more than a financial exercise – it is about safeguarding legacy, unity and values.

The UK’s Skilled Worker visa route has undergone major reform and tech businesses may be more exposed than they realise. In their recent article for Tech Monitor, Immigration Partner, Zoe Jacob and Associate, Rhona Findlay warn tech leaders not to overlook the impact of these changes, breaking down the implications for roles at RQF Level 3-5 and explaining why CIOs and HR teams must act now to audit their workforce and mitigate immigration risks.

In a recent article by Pictet Wealth Management and the Financial Times, Partners Hayden Bailey and Clare Stirzaker share their insights on how modern families are rethinking succession, governance and intergenerational dialogue. From fluid leadership structures to family councils and shared decision-making, today’s legacy planning is less about handovers and more about ongoing conversations and design frameworks that last.

Some landowners may still be liable for repairing the chancel of a parish church, a historic legal obligation dating back to the feudal system. In this article, Partner, Saskia Arthur and Senior Associate, Kate Symons look at the Law Commission’s consultation on reforms to the Land Registration Act 2002 (LRA), which seeks to clarify how chancel repair liability should be recorded and enforced, not to abolish it, but to ensure the relevant provisions of the LRA operate as originally intended.