Robert is a Partner in the Wills, Probate and Estate Planning Team and a member of the Board.
Robert qualified in 2000, joined Gardner Leader in 2002 and became a partner of the firm in 2009.
Robert advises clients on all aspects of their inheritance planning including trusts, wills, inheritance tax, estate administration and lasting powers of attorney. He specialises in advising clients on trusts and regularly helps clients establish new trusts as well as to administer existing trusts. He frequently acts as professional trustee and executor.
Robert’s role is frequently that of a trusted adviser and he works closely with his clients and other lawyers in Gardner Leader to ensure that the client receives the legal advice they need.
Wills, Probate and Estate Planning
- Acting as trustee for complex high value family trusts (£20-£30m)and liaising between the trustees and other professionals (wealth managers, accountants and agents).
- Acting as trustee for a high value trust with cross-border issues. This role includes liaising with wealth managers, overseas lawyers and accountants.
- Advising trustees of several different trusts on the re-settlement of funds within the trusts to ensure that different beneficiaries’ best interests are met by the trustees.
- Acting as executor in estates with complex assets, substantial inheritance tax liabilities and overseas assets.
- Advising on deeds of variation to ensure inheritance tax liabilities are minimised. In particular making use of inheritance tax reliefs – APR, BPR, residence nil rate bands etc.
- Working with the lawyers in Gardner Leader’s litigation team to establish compensation protection trusts for beneficiaries of compensation payments following personal injury claims.