United Kingdom - Scotland • Private client
Burness Paull LLP
Burness Paull LLP assists high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs and business owners with a wide range of private wealth and tax matters. With particular expertise in estate planning vehicles, including family investment companies, the team also advises on succession planning and cross-border issues. Colin McKenzie leads the team, which includes Fiona Clarke, dual accredited private tax and trusts law specialist Claire Macpherson and associate Amanda Armstrong. In 2022, the firm strengthened its trust law capabilities with the arrival of Euan Fleming from Gilson Gray.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘A solid team with a good depth of personal tax and significant experience in trusts.’
‘Clients will value the overall technical competence combined with the personable nature of the team.’
‘Experts in their field and able to apply their knowledge to clients' circumstances to give practical, commercial advice. I have also seen examples where they have worked with overseas affiliates to give non-UK tax advice to ensure the client has one point of contact without having to deal with lots of different advisors. As a full-service law firm, they are able to draw on other areas of the business when implementing planning.’
‘I find Colin McKenzie easy to work with, and we are able to work together to give the best overall advice to the client in a seamless way.’
‘Deep knowledge of this area of Scots law and a strong teamwork approach.’
‘Amanda Armstrong and the rest of the team have carried out a lot of work on my mother and aunt’s estates in the past four years and they have been diligent, helpful and proactive throughout.’
‘Claire Macpherson: Available, responsive and knowledgeable.’
‘Fiona Clarke has not only an abundance of technical expertise but also an excellent manner when it comes to client engagement.’
Key clients
- CALA Homes
- Champion Technologies Limited
- Esson Properties Limited
- Halliburton
- Malcolm Allan Housebuilders
- Nor-Sea Foods Limited
- Prosource.IT (UK) Ltd.
- Stewart Milne Group
- Visitor Centres Limited (trading as Landmark Forest Adventure Park)
- Worley Services UK Limited
Work highlights
- Advising high-net-worth spouses with assets of over £100m and a blended family on succession planning, including multiple family trusts and cross-border issues.
- Advising a high-net-worth Monegasque domiciliary married to a Scottish domiciliary on inheritance tax planning.
- Advising the parents of a child beneficiary of a high-value personal injury trust with a shortened life expectancy on the family’s affairs.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Colin McKenzie