James Lewis
Partner
Services
Private client and tax
Sectors
Private wealth
James is a partner in the private client team. He provides a broad range of advice for high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, including complex estate planning and trust structuring administration, taking into account the needs of family business succession, wealth protection for future generations, and tax efficient provisions for estates.
He regularly assists personal representatives with complex estate administration, especially where multi cross-border issues arise, often co-ordinating and working with overseas advisors to negotiate issues of tax and conflicts of law. James regularly advises personal representatives and families concerning the use and implementation of post-death restructuring to protect and preserve family interests. He also advises on private client law matters relating to vulnerable persons, providing guidance to their attorneys and family as to how best to meet their needs. James is also an active director of the firm’s trust corporation which acts as trustee and personal representative of client trusts and probate estates, with a combined asset value in excess of £500 million.
I provide estate planning and administration advice to individuals, executors, trustees and families. In each case I strive to understand the key drivers of my client in order to tailor the firm’s service and maximise the preservation of wealth, ensuring its efficient transfer between generations.
James is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), the world’s leading organization for private wealth professionals, and the STEP Global Cross-Border Estates Group. He has completed further STEP qualifications in the provision of UK tax advice for non-UK clients and cross-border estates. James has also contributed to editing a core textbook – Butterworths’ Wills Probate and Administration of Estates.
Recent work highlights
High net worth estate
Administration of family trusts
£100 million estate planning advice
Cross-border estate
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