- Number of principals: 62
- Assistant solicitors: 96
- Other fee-earners: 17
THE FIRM Withers LLP is an international law firm dedicated to advising successful people, their families and their businesses. PRINCIPAL AREAS OF WORK Private Client: With over 150 tax and trust specialists in Europe the US and Asia, Withers has one of the largest and most comprehensive private client practices in the world. This has enabled the firm to respond to client needs by forming dedicated teams to service entrepreneurs, families, family offices, investment and private banks, trust companies, landed estates and the globally wealthy. The firm recently opened its office in Zurich to service the increasing needs of clients in the city - focusing on US, UK and Russian tax planning and tax compliance and regulatory advice.
Family: Withers is a market leader of family law and has a pre-eminent reputation for international and traditional work involving significant resources, complicated tax issues and problems relating to children. The firm also provides family law advice from their office in HK.
Corporate: The firm acts for listed and private companies, financial institutions, partnerships, sole traders and entrepreneurs. Specialist areas of practice include corporate finance (in particular AIM), intellectual property, banking and employment.Areas of particular industry expertise include fashion and luxury brands, financial services including funds, motor racing, technology and media.
Litigation: Withers has a specialist practice in litigation relating to trusts and probate and has expertise in coordinating complex cross-border disputes for individuals and companies. The firm’s office in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) services the increasing number of cross-jurisdictional matters with an offshore component. The firm also has litigation expertise in fraud (particularly tracing assets through trusts), employment, insolvency, professional negligence, art, and intellectual property.
Charities: The firm has one of the leading charities practices in the City.
Property: Withers’ Property Practice encompasses all aspects of residential, commercial and agricultural property. The firm is particularly renowned for its expertise in agricultural law and in handling international property transactions, particularly for US purchasers.
INTERNATIONAL With offices in London, New York, New Haven (Connecticut), Greenwich (Connecticut), Geneva, Zurich, Milan, Hong Kong and the BVI, the firm is known as Withers LLP in the UK and internationally and as Withers Bergman LLP in the US. The firm provides integrated answers to the US, UK and international legal and tax needs of its clients. Withers has the largest team of specialist US private client lawyers in Europe and more Italian speakers than any other City law firm. The firm offers English and Italian law advice from the office in Milan following the recruitment of a six-strong team from eversheds in 2009. In Geneva, the firm provides US, UK, and cross-border tax and trust services and strategic advice on international litigation issues.
RECRUITMENT The firm recruits 13 trainees each year many of whom stay with the firm on qualification. A significant proportion of the principals (the LLP equivalent of ‘partners’) trained with the firm.
Areas of PracticePrivate Client: 31%
Litigation: 29%
Family: 145%
Corporate: 10%
Property: 10%
IP: 3%
Charities: 3%