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.
