Overview

Our team of foreign property lawyers advise on all UK legal and tax consequences of purchasing and selling or inheriting overseas properties, particularly properties across Europe and the US. This includes structuring the ownership, cross border estates planning and property transfers on divorce.

Our specialist team assists clients in understanding complex foreign tax, ownership and succession laws, and we are familiar with the differences between common law and Roman law. We liaise with our extensive network of preferred firms to provide local advice and can expertly co-ordinate with the foreign notary or lawyer conducting the transaction. We are experienced in the cultural differences in the jurisdiction which enable us to process the transaction easily and efficiently.

Our experts in cross border estate planning can ensure that the property will devolve to the next generation in accordance with our clients wishes taking into account the complex International Private laws applicable in each jurisdiction. In administering estates on death, we are familiar with the local procedures to ensure that foreign property is transferred to the family efficiently.

Members of our team speak a number of European languages including French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.

Areas of focus

Our expertise in foreign property structuring includes the following:

  • International tax planning.
  • Cross border estate planning.
  • Transactions.
  • Transfer of Foreign property on divorce.
  • Transfer of foreign property on death.
Experience

Assisting a client with the purchase of apartments for own use and rental in New York, under trust and company structure including liaising with US counsel.

Assisting clients with the purchase of real estate in France, including liaising with French notaries on behalf of clients and working with French accountants regarding the French and UK tax advantages and disadvantages of purchasing in personal names and through structures.

Advising clients on the purchase of large commercial real estate in France through an international structure, liaising with the financial institution and local corporate, banking and commercial lawyers and co-ordinating the efficient completion of the deal in a multijurisdictional transaction.

Purchasing and selling large real estate in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, dealing with local advisers, advising on structured finance, tax consequences locally and in the UK and setting us wills for the future devolution of properties.

Advising and liaising with local professionals on the transfer of real estate overseas on divorce for UK and non UK clients.

Dealing with the transfer on death of foreign real estate.

Meet the team

Suzanna Harvey Partner

  • Head of Private Wealth
  • Private Client Services
  • International Tax

What others say...

The team are fantastic and show real empathy towards their clients. They are approachable, collegiate and very knowledgeable.

Legal 500 2024

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