| Private Client Team of the Year |
 This award recognises the top private client teams in the country handling high-value work in the areas of estates, charities, family, contentious and non-contentious trusts and probate, as well as personal tax. Previous Winners
Regularly at the cutting-edge of developments in private client law, LG demonstrated its superb pedigree while creating a dynastic trust structure for a billionaire family in the Caribbean. Thompson’s private client team ended up developing and drafting new executive foundation legislation in the Bahamas for use in wealth preservation structures. The legislation simplifies trust structures by removing unnecessary layers of administration, expense and complication, and has the added benefit of promoting the Bahamas as one of the best jurisdictions for dynastic planning.
HIGHLY COMMENDEDBURGES SALMONJohn BarnettBristol’s finest private client team displayed its national credentials after beating other panel firms to win the mandate to train all Barclays Wealth advisers in dealing with UK-resident, non-domiciled individuals. Barclays had prioritised this training for non-domicile advisers following the introduction of Schedule 7 of the Finance Act 2008 on contentious trust and probate issues, tax authority enquiries and disputes. FORSTERSDavid RobinsonThis private client specialist has attracted some impressive lateral hires, including Withers’ former head of private client and leading landed estate partners, as well as RadcliffesLeBrasseur’s former head of private client. The firm saw an outstanding 70% growth in fee income from March 2006 to March 2009. MANCHESJane CraigManches’ leading family practice has handled many of the standout matrimonial cases in the past year, such as the high-profile Ecclestone and Ritchie divorces. The department spearheaded the development of collaborative law in London, and recently saw partner James Stewart elected as governor of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. In Helen Ward, the firm has arguably the UK’s leading family lawyer. MISHCON DE REYAMark KeenanTop-level mandates saw Keenan lead the line in successfully representing Dr Christine Gill in Gill v RSPCA, overcoming significant legal, evidential and funding obstacles to overturn her mother’s £2m legacy to the RSPCA. In a case that attracted significant media attention, Mishcon built a powerful case, calling 17 witnesses, to demonstrate that the will did not reflect her mother’s true intentions. TAYLOR WESSINGMark Buzzoni; Andrew GoodmanTaylor Wessing acted for the trustees in the landmark Breakspear v Ackland litigation, now a leading English law case authority on the extent to which information or documents relating to trusts and estates should be made available to beneficiaries, and recently attracted some real talent, including contentious trusts expert Steven Kempster from Herbert Smith. Award sponsored by Vistra |
The group’s global reach is hard to beat in the private client arena and
the opening of offices in Dubai and, most recently, in Moscow further cemented its commitment to its client base of ultra-high-net-worth
individuals. Clients enthusiastically praise a team that is ‘large enough that it can address any client situation and has people whose
personality and skills will match the personality and requirements of a client.’