England - London • Private client
1

Personal tax, trusts and probate

Mishcon de Reya LLP

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Mishcon de Reya LLP has a ‘strong brand in the private wealth space, with eye-catching thought leadership’. Charlie Sosna is the new head of department. The team consists of ’very high calibre’ lawyers' and is recommended for its advice on domestic and overseas tax planning and corporate structuring work for private individuals and their families. The focus of the team is on UHNW and HNW clients, predominantly with an international element. Andrew Goldstone frequently advises on domicile and residence issues. Filippo Noseda  is well placed to advise on international tax, succession and estate planning issues. Kassim Meghjee  advises UK and international clients on all aspects of personal and business taxation. Patrick Harney receives many plaudits for his specialisms in US-UK and UK-Irish cross-border tax advice, trust and estate planning, and for his tax planning work on UK resident non-domiciled matters. Other names to note include Martin Davies , Nicola Simmons and David Whittaker. Stuart Adams ‘combines an acute intellect with a gentle yet steely manner’.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Patrick Harney has established himself in the market as perhaps the predominant legal specialist in the UK/US private client market. He gives carefully considered, pragmatic advice in a manner which is easy to understand. He is in a league of his own'.

  • ‘Andrew Goldstone - thoroughly personable, supporting and technically strong. Very experienced professional, working with complex and challenging client situations. Excellent role model to those working with him. Charlie Sosna - technically 'top of his game''.

  • 'Katie Doyle has vast experience advising clients on domestic and international structures, including cross-border estate planning, Family, Corporate and Private Wealth Disputes and cases arising therein. I was very impressed with the strategies she implemented and her leadership'.
  • 'Andrew Goldstone and Filippo Noseda are always an inspiration to work with due to their vast experience, how they share said experience and their knowledge with their team and colleagues, simplifying complex situations for their clients with long term solutions that have an impact in various generations’.

  • 'This is a hard-working and high-performing team. Their reputation is excellent among clients for high-end advice delivered responsively'.

  • ‘Charlie Sosna and Nicola Simmons are excellent lawyers, very smart and proactive. They understand the client's needs and provide comprehensive and solid advices. They are great in advising high net worth individuals in relocation processes to the UK'.

  • ‘Stuart Adams has a cool head, and the ability to digest and explain complex issues in a readily digestible format. Martin Davies' grasp of the intricacies of advising families from the Middle East, and with particular reference to Saudi Arabia, is unparalleled in the private client arena. Charlie Sosna has a remarkable grasp of the legislation and translates these skills to deliver clear and succinct advice'.

  • 'David Whittaker is very smart, very aware of the bigger picture and gives excellent commercial advice. A real one to watch. I also know Filippo Noseda well by reputation. He is extremely strong on regulatory issues'.

Key clients

  • Various (advice on the multi-jurisdictional issue of the processing of financial data by governmental bodies)
  • Jennifer Webster ("Jenny") (holding HMRC to account on the transfer of personal data)

Work highlights

  • Advised various individuals on the multi-jurisdictional issues of the processing of financial data by governmental bodies.
  • Advised Jennifer Webster on issues of data privacy and more specifically, the lawfulness of the processing of data between international tax collection bodies.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Filippo Noseda
Hall of fameMishcon de Reya LLP
Filippo is a Partner in Mishcon Private and a Visiting Professor at King's College, London, where he teaches International and Comparative Trust Law. A dual qualified English solicitor and Swiss lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) he advises clients on international tax and estate planning issues. Able to approach both common law and civil law issues from a practical perspective, he routinely advises on the establishment and restructuring of both trusts and foundations as well as on UK and international tax and succession planning issues, including family governance and disputes. Filippo has also advised a number of governments on the introduction of private foundations' laws and successfully lobbied the Swiss government on the recognition of trusts in 2007 (various amendments to ratification bill). More recently, he appeared as an expert before the Council of Europe and the EU data protection authorities in connection with the introduction of the OECD's Common Reporting Standard (CRS) and the EU's Beneficial Ownership Registers. Filippo is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law. He has been appointed as a Judge at the San Marino Court for Trusts and Fiduciary Relations for the period 2020-2025. A keen lecturer and avid commentator, he is rated as a leading individual in Legal 500, a Top Recommended Tax Lawyer by Spear's Magazine and as one of the UK Top Influential Private Client Lawyers by ePrivateclient.  Legal 500 praises his "tremendous reputation" and "broad range of expertise" whilst Chambers & Partners says that he is a "major figure in co-ordinating cross-border European issues. He has got a unique character, is great fun and injects a light-hearted approach to a complex area while being very technically able."
Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Martin Davies
Mishcon de Reya LLP
Martin is a Partner in the firm's Wealth Planning and Tax team and heads the firm's Middle East practice. Martin is a Middle East expert advising UHNW and HNW clients on their global affairs, with an emphasis on leading families and family offices from Saudi Arabia, the GCC countries and the wider Middle East. Martin advises on all aspects of private capital and wealth planning, often when a client is considering changing their life pattern or reviewing historical structures. This involves advising on taxation and relocation issues, succession, trusts and family constitution; asset protection; common reporting standards and reputation management. Martin also regularly advises on international investments and Private Equity. Martin's experience of cross-border business transactions combined with his wealth planning and private capital expertise enables Martin to act as a close personal adviser across all aspects of the client's affairs. Martin's understanding of the nuances of doing business in the Gulf Region is reflected in his reputation as a Middle East expert. He has been involved in the setting up and restructuring of many tens of local entities and joint ventures in the Middle East for almost four decades. Martin established and managed law offices in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Washington, DC over 30 years ago and continues to spend considerable time in the Middle East. Martin co-founded and was the elected Chairman of a global legal network with over 100 members. Martin has been actively involved in promoting trade with the UK throughout his career and is a founder member of the Saudi British Joint Business Council. He was co-founder of the Saudi-British Society in 1986 and is a Trustee of the Oriental Cultural Foundation and several other charitable Trusts.
Andrew Goldstone
Mishcon de Reya LLP
Andrew is a Partner in Mishcon Private and heads up the Tax group. He advises high net worth UK and international families and trustees on all aspects of UK and offshore tax, succession planning and trusts. He regularly advises on residence and domicile issues including the statutory residence test, business investment relief and the locations of offshore trusts. He advises on philanthropy and the establishment of charitable trusts and foundations. His diverse range of clients cover all sectors and ages and include many high profile names. Andrew also advises entrepreneurs and key executives on relevant tax reliefs and tax efficient investments, such as IHT Business Property Relief, CGT Entrepreneurs Relief, Enterprise Investment Schemes and Venture Capital Trusts. He is a published author on tax and estate planning, has written numerous articles and is quoted widely in the national press. Andrew has been included in the Citywealth Leaders List since 2010 and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
Patrick Harney
Mishcon de Reya LLP
Patrick is a Partner in Mishcon Private. A market leading international private client lawyer who has worked in Dublin, London and New York, Patrick specialises in cross border tax advice with a particular focus on US-UK and UK-Irish tax, trust and estate planning and UK resident non-domiciled tax planning.  His wide range of clients include high profile individuals, family offices and hedge funds spanning the UK and Ireland, the US and Latin America. He has a particular expertise in the use of family partnerships and family investment companies as a tax efficient wealth holding vehicle.  Patrick has been consistently ranked by the private wealth industry and professional directories as a leading expert in tax law. He is a Chartered Tax Adviser, an International Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (“ACTEC”) and in November 2019 he was admitted as an Academician of The International Academy of Estate and Trust Lawyers.   He is a STEP member and lectures on International Estate Planning at the STEP/Irish Law Society Diploma Course on Trust and Estate Planning.     
Kassim Meghjee
Mishcon de Reya LLP
Kassim is a Partner in Mishcon Private. He advises UK and international clients on all aspects of personal as well as business taxation. Kassim is a specialist in both personal and corporate tax. As a result, he is regularly sought out by clients for advice on all of their assets including those owned directly, through trusts or other similar structures. Kassim has extensive experience with structuring the tax efficient acquisition, ownership and disposal of shares, securities and real estate, the interpretation of double taxation treaties, all taxation aspects relating to M&A transactions, and the application of transfer pricing rules.  His client base is predominantly high and ultra-high net worth individuals with assets in multiple jurisdictions but he also advises a number of international, UK, European and Asian based businesses as well as US based multinationals. A member of the firm's multi-disciplinary Luxury Assets Group, Kassim also advises individuals and businesses on the buying, selling, structuring and protection of luxury assets across the globe.  He is a member of the International Fiscal Association, the International Bar Association, and the International Employee Benefits Association. Kassim is recognised by The Legal 500 where clients describe him as "knowledgeable and commercial".
Charlie Sosna
Mishcon de Reya LLP
Charlie's main practice areas are: UK and international tax, including UK-US tax planning; trusts; asset protection structuring; and lifetime planning for high-net and ultra-high net worth individuals, families and their trustees. Charlie frequently advises clients on their residence and domicile status, and advises on effective tax planning. He has been described as someone who offers 'high quality reliable advice, excellent client manner - a joy to work with', and who has 'a clear understanding of tax issues arising for private clients and identifies practical solutions'.  He has further been described and as 'an excellent lawyer who commands the respect of everyone he interacts with and acts for who is ahead of his years in terms of expertise, ability and maturity who will excel to become one of the leading lights in the world of the private client lawyer'. Charlie is a member of Mishcon de Reya's multi-disciplinary Luxury Assets Group, which advises individuals and businesses on the buying, selling, structuring and protection of luxury assets including art, cars and other high-value collectables across the globe. In 2014 Charlie passed with distinction the STEP Advanced Certificate in UK Tax for International Clients.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Stuart Adams
Mishcon de Reya LLP
Stuart is a Partner in Mishcon Private.  He helps clients to preserve, grow and pass on their wealth and provides UK and international tax advice. As acknowledged by Chambers High Net Worth: "Stuart is astute and technical. He is precise, has a clear mind, and is extremely personable." A large part of Stuart's practice is advising non-UK domiciled clients who are considering a move to the UK, providing them (and the other advisors supporting them) with pre-arrival tax advice as well as advice on residence, their domicile status, trusts, and other asset holding structures. Conversely, he advises non-doms who have been living in the UK for several years and those considering leaving the UK. He also advises international families who often have little or no connection to the UK and who are looking for effective governance structures through which to organise the long-term transition of wealth. In that regard, Stuart is an expert in the creation of international Wills and asset holding structures such as trusts, foundations, companies, and partnerships. Stuart is the co-lead of Mishcon de Reya's Latin America & Iberia group, and has a particular interest in advising clients with connections to those regions, in particular Brazil. As a member of Mishcon de Reya's Blockchain group, Stuart can provide comprehensive tax and structuring advice to individuals and business who trade or invest in cryptocurrency and other cryptoassets. He is often involved in matters where there is active litigation, or the prospect of it, working closely with the firm's Private Wealth Disputes and Family specialists. A full member of STEP, the world's leading organisation for private wealth professionals, the Association of Contentious Trust, and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) and The Law Society's Private Client Section, Stuart regularly gives seminars on private client law and practice and has published articles in many of the leading professional publications as well as editing and writing for key texts. Stuart is the recipient of multiple industry awards and is consistently ranked as a leading individual for his technical specialisms.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Charlie Sosna

Other key lawyers

Filippo Noseda, Martin Davies, Patrick Harney, Kassim Meghjee, Andrew Goldstone, Nicola Simmons, Katie Doyle, David Whittaker, Stuart Adams

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