Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP

Maurice Turnor Gardner is a London based boutique private client law firm of highly rated lawyers and is well-known in the private wealth arena for all-round expertise and structuring private wealth around the world.  The firm focuses exclusively on the issues (both contentious and non contentious) which affect wealthy individuals, family offices, trustees and professional practices in the UK and elsewhere.

Our clients come from all over the world, which has given the team in-depth technical  and cultural knowledge about a number of different regions and include entrepreneurs, traditionally wealthy families, trustees and private banks.  Their assets include interests in both listed and privately-owned companies, real estate, race horses, works of art, yachts and planes and investment portfolios of significant value.

The firm: The three key words which encompass the firm’s philosophy are “respected”, “trusted” and “excellent”.  We seek to understand all the legal, commercial and tax issues affecting our clients and to provide them with principled and practical legal solutions, working in partnership with them as their trusted advisers.

Types of work undertaken
Personal tax, trusts and probate: The team advises on estate and succession planning to protect and preserve assets ranging from privately owned companies, real estate and liquid assets to racehorses, yachts, planes and art. Owing to the nature of our client base, we have particular experience of complex (often cross border), high-profile and high-value probates which frequently have cross-jurisdictional features. We also advise on the issues surrounding intestacy, post-death variations and the tax implications of post-death arrangements. We are able to help individuals and attorneys with Lasting Powers of Attorney and if necessary, Court of Protection applications. In addition we provide international clients with advice on pre-arrival planning and on exit strategies, and wealthy individuals and trustees with advice on UK taxation, particularly the treatment of non-UK domiciled individuals. Trustees and beneficiaries also seek advice from us on their powers, duties and rights under all forms of trust structures, both onshore and offshore.

Contentious trusts/dispute resolution:  The team acts for trustees, beneficiaries and members of ultra high net worth families in complex, high-value disputes relating to trusts, estates and divorce, in the UK and offshore. Additionally we advise across the spectrum of contentious work including trustees seeking to avoid litigation, applications for directions, applications for removal of trustees and claims for breach of trust or fiduciary duty.  We assist trustees, family members and others to pre-empt, avoid and where necessary resolve difficulties and disharmony, including family governance/family charters.  Our advice is also sought by commercial/corporate trustees involved in disputes, advising on trustees’ duties and liabilities arising under commercial trusts.

Real estate:  The team advises on high value and complex residential property matters for private clients focusing on high value acquisitions and disposals of prime and super prime residential property (from listed to new build) as well as corporate entities holding high value residential property, often cross-border, involving the sale or purchase of prime residential property in the UK while co-ordinating the sale or purchase of properties in other jurisdictions. The team also provides advice on leasehold enfranchisement and lease extensions and has significant experience in the transactional implications of these matters.  In addition the team advises on commercial property transactions for a wide range of clients including private clients, institutional investors, banks and corporates across the whole property life cycle and has particular expertise in dealing with the purchase, sale, letting, management and funding of high value and prestigious commercial properties.

Partnerships and professional practices: The team provides advice on constitutional documents, governance, international structures, LLP conversions, partner/team moves, mergers/demergers and disputes including regulatory and compliance issues, for UK and global professional practices.  We are well known for our innovative uses of partnership and LLP structures in finance and corporate transactions and as succession planning vehicles for families.  Additionally we advise on corporate trusts including bare trusts, escrow and financing structures and voting trusts

Philanthropy and charity:  The team is often instructed in connection with the creation and funding of charities and the appropriate charitable vehicle, ensuring the fiscal efficiency of the structure and donations, and the benefits of dual-registered charities in an international context.  We also provide advice on the day-to-day management of charities and governance issues, trustee protection and remuneration, the powers, duties and liabilities of trustees and tax issues, additionally providing assistance with the making of grants.  We advise trustees on their duties; the regulatory environment within which charities operate and about engagement with the regulators.  We also advise on legal issues for banks and corporates entering into contractual arrangements with charity counterparties, and on CSR programmes and charitable giving.

Business immigration:  The team advises on all aspects of the immigration process, from assessing and compiling applications through to obtaining the relevant permissions for clients and their families to come to the UK, obtaining visas for investor and entrepreneur clients under Tier 1 of the points-based system.  We also advise on Tier 2 sponsorship licence applications for employers, non-EEA skilled worker visas, business visits, advising on obtaining indefinite leave to remain and British citizenship, on residence rights of EEA nationals and their family members.  We provide financial institutions with advice on immigration issues relevant to them and their clients.