About
Robert works with UK based and international families to help them structure, protect and pass on wealth across generations. His practice spans estate and tax planning, trusts and succession, often where assets are held across multiple jurisdictions or involve long established family estates.
Clients value Robert’s thoughtful and measured approach, and his ability to develop solutions that are practical, explicable and aligned with each family’s values and long term ambitions.
International families and offshore structuring
Robert regularly advises international families, non UK resident individuals and their trusts and companies on the structuring of assets held around the world. He has particular experience working with highly influential families whose affairs require careful coordination across jurisdictions.
A key area of Robert’s expertise is advising on trust structures that take account of Islamic Shariah rules on succession, developed through his work with families and advisers in the Middle East.
Tax and succession planning for business owners
Robert also advises UK entrepreneurs and business owners, helping them align personal wealth planning with commercial interests. His work often involves balancing tax efficiency with flexibility, control and long term stewardship, particularly where businesses form a significant part of family wealth.
Trusts, trustees and collaborative advice
A core element of Robert’s practice is advising on the establishment, governance and long term management of trusts. He works closely with trustees, family offices and estate offices, as well as other professional advisers, to ensure a coordinated and consistent approach to tax and succession planning.
His collaborative style reflects a belief that the best outcomes are achieved by understanding the full context of a family’s life, assets and ambitions.
Landed estates, heritage property and art assets
Robert has extensive experience advising on UK landed estates and heritage property, including specialist heritage tax matters such as conditional exemption and offers in lieu of tax.
He also advises art collectors and estate owners on the stewardship of culturally significant assets, helping families balance preservation with long term planning.
Trustees, charities and court work
Robert regularly advises trustees, including charitable trustees, on their duties and responsibilities. His work can include representing trustees in court applications where required, particularly in complex or sensitive situations.
Practising jurisdiction
Robert is admitted to practise in England and Wales.
Experience
- Acted in a difficult Variation of Trusts Act application to Court by which the life of a valuable settlement was extended and the Trustees’ powers were significantly widened; in particular, a power was introduced allowing the Trustees to accumulate income to meet Inheritance Tax 10 year charges which otherwise could only have been funded by selling capital assets
- Provided advice to Trustees on the sale of their majority shareholding in an important family trading company, which was the principal asset of the Settlement; this included advice to the Trustees on their powers under the Settlement and on the warranties and indemnities requested of them by the purchaser of the company
- Acted for a prominent non UK family in the structuring of their property assets both in the UK and in seven other jurisdictions; this included the creation of a Family Protocol, signed up to by all the adults in both the main branches of the family, which should ensure a stable environment for family governance in the future
- Advised an art owner on a complex series of Acceptance in Lieu and Inheritance Tax Conditional Exemption Applications by which an historic collection of paintings was preserved and is now on display to the public, partly in national institutions and partly in the owner’s home; the Conditional Exemption also extended to an area of land of outstanding natural beauty
