International and cross border solicitors

Legal expertise spanning borders and jurisdictions

As lifestyles and business become increasingly international in nature, the scope of our work is evolving too.

Today, our expert team of solicitors is frequently called upon by multi-national organisations and institutions, entrepreneurial businesses, and wealthy individuals and families seeking advice and guidance on protecting their assets. We also regularly work with trust companies and other law firms who turn to us for specialist advice in this complex area.

We advise on a broad spectrum of commercial and personal matters, such investing in UK businesses and structuring wealth. Often, this involves co-ordinating legal advice across multiple jurisdictions; a process we make as seamless as possible for our clients.

Our international private client expertise

We regularly advise a range of private clients on matters involving an international element. Specifically:

• UK residents and expats with substantial wealth including assets in the UK and/or overseas
• Foreign nationals buying or investing in a UK property or business
• Foreign nationals seeking advice on their domicile and tax residence status
• Overseas law firms and professional advisers representing clients with assets in the UK
• Offshore trust companies and trustees
• Creating excluded property trusts either in lifetime or by deed of variation
• Chinese nationals buying or investing in UK property, including the families of Chinese students studying in the UK
• US nationals buying or investing in UK property, including probate considerations. We also advise on divorce and separation, where one party is a UK national
• International sports professionals and their families on UK property, divorce and probate
• UK and overseas clients on international Court of Protection matters including dealing with legal and financial institution in various jurisdictions

Our international business expertise

Our corporate and commercial solicitors provide cross-border legal advice to companies and individuals doing business internationally.

We regularly advise overseas companies on setting up in the UK, acquiring UK companies or business assets and their general UK legal requirements, including:

• UK aspect of cross-border corporate mergers, acquisitions and disposals for clients based in the UK and overseas
• Setting up a subsidiary or branch office in the UK
• Intellectual property protection, including advice on UK and EU intellectual property law such as trade mark and registered design filings
• Litigation and cross-border dispute resolution, including mediation
• Advising overseas investors on investment into and disposals of UK real estate
• Employment, including overseas recruitment and compliance with employment law
• Specialist expertise in advising Chinese businesses and investors on their UK interests
• UK corporate tax for overseas businesses
• Advising the owners of international businesses on their estate and succession planning

Helping clients do business in the UK

We advise entrepreneurs, start-ups and corporations who are seeking to establish or expand a business in the UK, or to invest in an existing business.

Our international corporate and commercial lawyers can offer practical guidance on structuring a UK entity or subsidiary, on carrying out acquisitions of businesses and commercial property, on commercial contracts and intellectual property law and much more besides.

They can also liaise with colleagues across the firm, tapping into further expertise on matters such as employment law, tax planning and wealth structuring, whenever necessary.

Co-ordinating legal advice across borders

When our clients require local advice in other jurisdictions, we can tap into our network of trusted colleagues around the world to ensure they receive accurate and relevant expertise for their situation – and at a competitive price.

The strong relationships we have established over time makes this process seamless, with clients retaining a single point of contact here at Clarke Willmott.

We are also happy to work with our clients’ own overseas advisers and solicitors if that’s their preferred option.

Professional memberships and accreditations

• Clarke Willmott is a Leading Legal 500 and a Top Ranked Chambers UK firm
• We have two Court of Protection panel deputies out of only 75 nationwide
• We are accredited by the Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme (WIQS)
• We hold the Law Society’s Lexcel accreditation for compliance and client care standards
• Our Private Client team includes Members of STEP, accountants and chartered tax advisers and we also hold specialist international qualifications focussed on tax for international clients and cross border estate planning

Get in touch with our International team today

For specialist help with any international or cross border matter please call us on 0800 652 8025 or get in touch online.

Clarke Willmott’s multidisciplinary team of solicitors works with clients across the country and the globe from our offices in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Southampton and Taunton.