Private Client introductory materials

Discover foundational resources designed for lawyers navigating the complex landscape of private client law. Access expert insights into the essentials, ensuring you're equipped to provide holistic advice in estate planning, wealth management, and fiduciary responsibilities. Stay ahead of regulatory changes and tailor your strategies with innovative, client-first solutions.

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Latest Private Client News

Private Client weekly highlights—15 October 2026

Private Client weekly highlights—15 October 2026

This week’s edition of Private Client highlights includes: (1) a key Court of Protection decision which examined the care, welfare, and transitioning...

DCMS consults on widening grounds for disqualifying charity trustees and senior managers

DCMS consults on widening grounds for disqualifying charity trustees and senior managers

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has launched a consultation on extending the Charity Commission for England and Wales’s...

Question of the week: I note that personal representatives who fail to take active steps when there is a suggestion that a lifetime transaction should be challenged, and allow a limitation period to expire may face a claim of devastavit for failing in their duties to collect in assets. What is the limitation period to bring a claim to set aside a lifetime gift or transfer on the grounds of lack of capacity or undue influence?

Question of the week: I note that personal representatives who fail to take active steps when there is a suggestion that a lifetime transaction should be challenged, and allow a limitation period to expire may face a claim of devastavit for failing in their duties to collect in assets. What is the limitation period to bring a claim to set aside a lifetime gift or transfer on the grounds of lack of capacity or undue influence?

This Q&A considers whether the personal representatives of a deceased person are subject to a limitation period for the setting aside of a lifetime...

Beresford v HMRC—the tax tribunals wrongly apply George v HMRC (again)

Beresford v HMRC—the tax tribunals wrongly apply George v HMRC (again)

Private Client analysis: On 29 July 2026, the Upper Tribunal (UT) published its judgment in The Executors of Keith Denis Lewis Beresford (Deceased) v...

Featured Private Client content

Nature and classification of trusts—the three certainties

Nature and classification of trusts—the three certainties

Nature and classification of trusts—the three certaintiesCertaintyIn order for a settlor to create a private express trust the three certainties must...

Protectors

Protectors

ProtectorsWhat is a protector?A protector is a person who holds powers under a trust but who is not a trustee. A protector is a person who is...

Preparing the application form PA1P/PA1A for probate or letters of administration

Preparing the application form PA1P/PA1A for probate or letters of administration

Preparing the application form PA1P/PA1A for probate or letters of administrationFORTHCOMING CHANGE: The postal application forms PA1P and PA1A for...

Administration actions—personal representatives and the deceased's liabilities

Administration actions—personal representatives and the deceased's liabilities

Administration actions—personal representatives and the deceased's liabilitiesAn individual may assume obligations, for example in respect of...

Precedents

Loan agreement—individuals

Loan agreement—individualsDATE:Parties1[[name] of [address] [and [name] of [address]] OR [name] and [name] both of [address]] (Lender[s])2[[name] of...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

The Cy-près doctrine

The Cy-près doctrineFORTHCOMING CHANGE: The Charities Act 2022 (CA 2022) received Royal Assent on 24 February 2022 and will be implemented on a...
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30th May
Practice notes

Trustees—appointment of trustees

Trustees—appointment of trusteesOriginal trusteesTrustees will usually be appointed by the instrument that brings the trust into existence. The trust...
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2nd Jun
tag iconIn-house
Practice notes

Death in service benefits

Death in service benefitsOverview of the types of death in service benefits and their tax treatmentThere are three types of death in service...
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Produced in partnership with Eleanor Walsh, Lily Hurley and Emily Cook of Sinclair Gibson LLP
30th May
Practice notes

Assent of assets by personal representatives

Assent of assets by personal representativesPersonal representatives (PRs) can transfer assets to beneficiaries in any way that would also be...
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2nd Jun
Q&As

A trust holds the beneficial ownership of shares in a company of which one trustee is a director. Of the three beneficiaries, two are adults and there is a declaration of trust in respect of the shares held for them. The other is a minor and there is a separate declaration of trust for him. What would or should happen to the company shares on the death of a beneficiary? Neither declaration of trust deals with this issue.

A trust holds the beneficial ownership of shares in a company of which one trustee is a director. Of the three beneficiaries, two are adults and there...
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Produced in partnership with Chris Bryden of 4 King’s Bench Walk
13th Oct
Practice notes

Intermeddling in an estate

Intermeddling in an estateWhat is intermeddling?An individual who performs certain duties which a personal representative (PR) would perform to...
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Produced in partnership with Jenny Bird and Charlotte Kynaston of Macfarlanes
2nd Jun
Practice notes

Termination of trusts—methods of termination

Termination of trusts—methods of terminationDuration of a trustThe duration of an express trust is subject to the restrictions imposed by the rules...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

Trusts as a vehicle for holding company shares

Trusts as a vehicle for holding company sharesIntroductionMany trusts own shares as part of a portfolio of investments. This Practice Note looks at...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

Benevolent funds

Benevolent fundsFORTHCOMING CHANGE: The Charities Act 2022 (CA 2022) received Royal Assent on 24 February 2022 and will be implemented on a staggered...
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30th May
Practice notes

Creation of trusts—life insurance trusts

Creation of trusts—life insurance trustsDefining life insurance trustsA life insurance trust usually involves either:•an assignment of an insurance...
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30th May
Practice notes

Lifetime gifts

Lifetime giftsA lifetime gift is a gratuitous transfer of ownership of any property between living persons and not made in expectation of death. In...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

Source of income (and private client)

Source of income (and private client)When advising an individual on cross-border or offshore tax planning, it is important to establish the 'source'...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

Liferent trusts—Scotland

Liferent trusts—ScotlandLiferent trustsA liferent trust (or trust liferent) is a trust which, when settled, confers a use and income benefit, or both,...
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Produced in partnership with Pete Murrin of Turcan Connell
13th Oct
tag iconScottish Law
Q&As

When can a mistake in an executed deed be rectified by a manuscript amendment rather than by a deed of rectification?

When can a mistake in an executed deed be rectified by a manuscript amendment rather than by a deed of rectification?This Q&A explains when it is...
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Produced in partnership with Emma Holland of Stewarts Law
13th Oct
Practice notes

Advantages and disadvantages of an offshore trust

Advantages and disadvantages of an offshore trustAn offshore trust is a trust where the trustees are resident in a low or zero tax jurisdiction....
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Produced in partnership with Mourant Ozannes
13th Oct

Popular documents

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companies

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companiesWhy does it matter?A company that is a member of a group and has incurred any of the types of losses available for surrender by way of group relief may, without any further rules, have more than one way in which to use the loss. There are a

Late payment penalties—inheritance tax

Late payment penalties—inheritance taxWhile interest often accrues on overdue tax, the late payment of certain taxes may also attract a penalty. For information on the interest accruing on overdue tax, see Practice Notes: IHT—payment deadlines on death—Interest on IHT and Interest on late paid

Strike out—making an application to strike out a statement of case

Strike out—making an application to strike out a statement of caseA strike out order can be made either following an application by the parties or on the court's own initiative. This Practice Note deals with the scenario of the order being made following a party's application.Making an application

Glossary—Latin legal terms

Glossary—Latin legal termsDespite attempts in recent years to simplify the language used in legal cases, there are still a number of Latin phrases commonly used in personal injury claims. The following Latin phrases are listed in alphabetical order:Latin termDefinitionMeaningActa iure imperiiLegal