International legal services
Specialist legal advice for UK residents, expats and foreign nationals
At Clarke Willmott, we’ve been advising clients with international roots and overseas interests for many years. What’s more, we do so at a refreshingly competitive price considering our credentials in this complex area – especially when compared to City law firms.
How our private wealth solicitors can help
Our solicitors are experts in the provision of forward-think advice relating to the laws of England and Wales. We advise UK residents, expats and foreign nationals with personal ties and assets across borders. We also advise overseas residents who are moving to, living in or leaving the UK, or investing in property or business here.
On those occasions where our clients need advice in relation to other jurisdictions we can also tap into ‘local’ expertise via our trusted global network of lawyers and professional advisers based in other jurisdictions. We can also work with your preferred international advisers to ensure you receive the highest quality service throughout.
Our extensive range of services includes:
UK tax planning
If you living in, moving to or leaving the UK, or investing in property or business here, we can provide you with clear and strategic advice on UK tax structuring and reporting.
In addition, our extensive technical and multidisciplinary expertise means we can also assist you in structuring your worldwide assets in a tax efficient manner, be they personal, business and/or philanthropic in nature and liaise with your local advisers or with our connections overseas.
Offshore trusts
At Clarke Willmott, we provide individuals, banks, and trust companies with expert advice on offshore trust structures, helping them to navigate an increasingly complex environment.
We have extensive expertise in UK taxation, compliance, and administration of non-resident trusts, including those holding UK property assets or have UK resident beneficiaries, which have become increasing complex in recent years.
Residential property
We have considerable expertise in advising British expats, foreign nationals and non-resident trusts on buying and selling residential property in the UK. We can also advise on the most tax-efficient ownership structures for your property purchases.
International family businesses
We can advise family business owners with overseas commercial interests on designing appropriate trust structures to hold their businesses, especially in jurisdictions where the local succession laws may otherwise reduce share ownership following the death of a major shareholder.
International Wills and Probate
Whether you are a UK client with international assets or an overseas client with UK assets, we can advise you on how best to structure and prepare your Will to be both tax-efficient and valid in all relevant jurisdictions. We can also prepare your lasting powers of attorney.
Our team also has considerable expertise in obtaining probate across borders, dealing with assets within the UK and other jurisdictions in a way that avoids potential conflict. This includes obtaining probate in the UK for foreign nationals who die with assets in the UK.
International family law
Our family law solicitors are specialists in international and European family law. They work closely with clients and with local specialists across the world to advise on all aspects of international family law. This includes divorce, co-parenting, and financial matters when one or both parties is a non-UK resident. We can also provide specialist advice on international surrogacy, assisted reproduction and fertility law, and adopting overseas.
International Court of Protection
We understand that successfully managing the affairs of a person who lacks the mental capacity to do so can be challenging. That’s why we have a specialist team of Court of Protection solicitors dedicated to helping you, wherever in the world the affected person may be.
We can also assist in getting overseas financial institutions to recognise a UK lasting power of attorney or deputy order. Or if the person lives overseas but has assets in the UK, we can help you secure the necessary authority to deal with UK financial and legal institutions on their behalf.
What our clients say about us
But don’t just take our word for it, if you would like to speak to one of our clients to hear their experience directly, please contact Anthony Fairweather.
Planning a move to the UK
If you are planning a move to the UK, our expert team of lawyers can help to ease the way by providing a truly joined-up service.
We can help you plan and protect every aspect of your own and your family’s affairs, both on your way to the UK and while living here, including advice on property, starting work or a new business venture and succession, tax, and estate planning.
We work closely with other UK-based and international advisers, each highly experienced in the specific needs of international families, high net worth individuals, professionals, entrepreneurs and investors, to provide you with tailored and appropriate advice, however complex your situation may be.
Why choose Clarke Willmott for international matters?
- Long-established reputation – Our Private Client team is one of the UK’s largest and most experienced, with a history of advising individuals and families that dates back over a hundred years.
- A true partner to you – We are committed to acting as your family adviser, providing both technical legal advice and wise counsel.
- Complete end to end service – We work closely with every client to deliver highly-tailored advice and forward-thinking solutions and plans that we can also implement.
- Exceptional value – our fees are both transparent and highly competitive, giving you large law firm calibre advice at regional rates.
- Well connected – We are well connected internationally, with a network of trusted partners sharing local legal knowledge from around the world.
Contact an international private client solicitor
For advice on any matter with international considerations, contact our specialist team of solicitors on 0800 652 8025 or contact us online. Our lawyers are based across the country in Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Southampton, Taunton, London and Birmingham.
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Your key contacts

Carol Cummins
Consultant
Carol enjoys long term relationships with her clients and likes to get to know the families well so that she can help them at each key step in life with a focus on protecting the family wealth from erosion by tax and outside claims so it remains in the family for future generations.
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Paul Davies
Partner
Paul is a Partner and head of the private capital team in Clarke Willmott's Manchester office.
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Anthony Fairweather
Partner
Anthony specialises in UK and international Court of Protection finance work and elderly care law and is also a professional deputy.
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Rod Lloyd-Jones
Partner
Rod Lloyd-Jones is a partner in Clarke Willmott solicitors' Taunton Private Property & Agriculture team specialising in non-contentious agricultural and residential property law.
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Chris Longbottom
Partner
Chris provides advice on complex financial cases; often involving business interests, trusts, children, foreign assets and pensions.
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