Described as a ‘highly professional firm with a first-class reputation’, Blake Morgan LLP offers a broad range of tax and succession planning services, including advising on foreign assets that are located outside the UK. Spearheading the team in Southampton, Paula Shea has two decades of experience advising high-net-worth individuals on wills and taxes. Darren Price and Jonathan Sleep are also integral members of the team; Price routinely acts for trustees, executors, and beneficiaries and handles matters relating to asset protection issues, trusts and the administration of estates, while Sleep is an expert in handling will and inheritance disputes.

Foot Anstey is a go-to firm for high-net-worth individuals and family-owned businesses seeking advice on on taxes and succession planning issues. The team routinely advises on matters relating to landed estates, farms, and personal injury trusts. Praised as ‘a real expert who is able to provide advice and guidance across a wide spectrum of issues’, Rachel Brooks heads up the private wealth team in Southampton. Carol Ward and Celine Lecomte are also notable members of the team; Ward has experience drafting complex wills and handling the administration of estates, while Lecomte frequently assists trustees and beneficiaries with the restructuring and regulation compliance of trusts.

Trethowans LLP stands out for its broad capabilities advising on probate matters, including those involving foreign assets, and estate administrations. Described as ‘a highly effective and knowledgeable solicitor’, Mihiri Gajraj heads up the team in Southampton, and regularly advises high-net-worth clients on mitigating tax liabilities and handles succession planning issues for family-owned businesses. Kathryn Anderson is recommended for advising charities which are beneficiaries of estates. The team was strengthened by the addition of Leyla Whitlingum in Winchester, who joined in November 2023 from Phillips Solicitors and adds experience in will drafting and estate planning.

Located in Farnborough, the team at Herrington Carmichael LLP is particularly skilled at handling cross-border matters that deal with complex issues of residency and taxation. Spearheading the team, Charlotte Drury-Woods has been increasingly involved in contentious matters relating to estate administration. Graeme Black is another integral member of the team, and routinely advises high-net-worth families on their general affairs; he is especially recommended for elderly clients and vulnerable individuals who need assistance with trust administration and will drafting. Nicole Miller is also noted for her depth of experience advising on trusts and taxes.

The team at Irwin Mitchell is ‘uniquely placed to provide the highest level of expertise and service due to its depth of knowledge and experience’. With offices in Southampton and Chichester, the practice is led by Naomi Neville, who regularly handles complex tax matters and estate planning issues for high-net-worth individuals. Laura Colville has experience advising farming families on succession planning mandates. Nicola Hawkins is a further standout member of the team, who is noted for being ‘particularly gifted in dealing with elderly and vulnerable clients’.

Moore Barlow has a breadth of experience handling succession planning issues for both domestic and international clients. The team also has a chartered tax adviser, who assists with providing in-house solutions to complex tax matters. Located in Lymington and Southampton, Naomi Wilkes heads up the team, while Flavia Mongiello is a member of the private wealth team who regularly assists with probate matters. Fiona Heald left the firm in April 2023, Alison Lloyd left in May 2023, and Philip Whitcomb departed in July 2023.

With offices in Southampton and Winchester, Paris Smith LLP has extensive experience catering to private clients both in the UK as well as internationally. The team focuses its advice on ensuring the preservation of wealth, which includes handling succession planning issues, assisting with complex will drafting matters, and providing guidance on how to maximise tax efficiency. Leading the team, William Hadley is recommended for clients domiciled in the UK requiring advice on foreign assets. Kate Marsh joined the team from Moore Barlow in July 2023; she has experience handling a variety of complex estate administration matters.

The team at Phillips Solicitors works closely with accountants and financial advisers to take a comprehensive approach to tax matters and estate planning work. Located in Basingstoke, the team is co-led by Sian Lias and Lisa Perry. With significant experience advising high-net-worth clients, Lias is skilled in the creation and administration of trusts, while Perry routinely handles probate matters and is particularly capable in advising clients who have estates and assets located abroad. Claire-Marie Selwood is also noted for her experience drafting and reviewing wills. Leyla Whitlingum left the firm in October 2023.