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Matthew Barnett

Matthew joined the Private Client team as a Partner in 2019 from Harbottle & Lewis.

Matthew acts for high-net-worth individuals on a wide range of estate and succession planning issues. He has extensive experience in advising high-net-worth clients on lifetime gifting and on the use of wills and trusts for the protection of wealth for future generations. He regularly advises trustees on their duties, responsibilities and specific aspects of tax and trust planning. Matthew also advises business owners and entrepreneurs on business succession planning.

Matthew has vast experience in probate and estate administration and has dealt with many high value, complex and multi-jurisdictional estates throughout his career. He often advises beneficiaries of estates on succession planning involving post-death variations.

Matthew also has particular experience in advising clients on mental capacity issues such as Lasting Powers of Attorney and Deputyship applications to the Court of Protection.

 

  • Administering a complex international estate containing a wide variety of assets (including various properties, high value vehicles and a stable of top-tier eventing horses), substantial liabilities, dealing with employee-related issues and the establishment of a charitable foundation.
  • Administration of a sizeable trust whose main asset was the copyright, rights and interests in a successful deceased author’s literary estate including liaising with agents regarding the ongoing commercial exploitation of rights, collecting royalties, preparing VAT and annual tax returns and dealing with beneficiary distributions.
  • Advising two business owners each owning a 50% share of their business to provide for succession planning for their respective families and for the future continuation of the business on the death or incapacity of one of the owners through drafting complex Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney, working with Corporate colleagues regarding revisions to company documentation and liaising with the clients’ financial advisers and accountants.
  • Successfully applying to the Court of Protection for an order to approve (i) a deed of variation of a Will to divert assets qualifying for business property relief away from the 90 year old mentally incapacitated surviving spouse to the next generation and (ii) ongoing (and obtaining retrospective approval for) gifting.

 

Matthew Barnett awards

Expertise

Credentials

  • Recommended as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 2024

  • Ranked as a ‘Leading Individual’ for Private Wealth Law in Chambers High Net Worth 2023

  • Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives – June 2002

  • Member of the Law Society

Quotes

Partner Mathew Barnett is another tremendous asset for the firm and a rock for his clients.


The Legal 500 UK 2024

Partner Mathew Barnett is another tremendous asset for the firm and a rock for his clients.

The Legal 500 UK 2024

Matthew Barnett & Anna Primrose are both excellent private client lawyers. Their mastery of administration of complex...
The Legal 500 UK 2024

Matthew Barnett & Anna Primrose are both excellent private client lawyers. Their mastery of administration of complex estates is extremely impressive.

The Legal 500 UK 2024

Matthew Barnett is approachable, likeable, personable, professional & knowledgeable. I enjoy working with Matthew & t...
The Legal 500 UK 2023

Matthew Barnett is approachable, likeable, personable, professional & knowledgeable. I enjoy working with Matthew & trust him to take good professional care of my clients.

The Legal 500 UK 2023

Matthew is an expert at the top of his game in respect to onshore and traditional estate planning law.


The Legal 500 UK 2023

Matthew is an expert at the top of his game in respect to onshore and traditional estate planning law.

The Legal 500 UK 2023

Matthew Barnett is exceptionally knowledgeable and able to communicate complex advice in a way that is understandable...
The Legal 500 UK 2022

Matthew Barnett is exceptionally knowledgeable and able to communicate complex advice in a way that is understandable and practical. Matthew is down to earth, approachable and clients and
colleagues love him.

The Legal 500 UK 2022

Thank you for your ongoing help and approachability, it make a huge difference to the situation.


Client feedback 2021

Thank you for your ongoing help and approachability, it make a huge difference to the situation.

Client feedback 2021

We contrast your approach to the abysmal service we received from our parents solicitor when we were trying to close ...
Client feedback 2021

We contrast your approach to the abysmal service we received from our parents solicitor when we were trying to close their affairs - we are in awe of you!

Client feedback 2021

Matthew Barnett has long been my go-to man to send clients to for wills and trusts and he always gains their trust. The Legal 500 UK 2021

Matthew Barnett has long been my go-to man to send clients to for wills and trusts and he always gains their trust.

The Legal 500 UK 2021

Matt is always a pleasure to work with and is particularly strong on non-contentious tax and wealth planning.


The Legal 500 UK 2021

Matt is always a pleasure to work with and is particularly strong on non-contentious tax and wealth planning.

The Legal 500 UK 2021

Excellent knowledge and understanding of the tax and wider issues confronting private clients and trustees. Well able...
The Legal 500 UK 2021

Excellent knowledge and understanding of the tax and wider issues confronting private clients and trustees. Well able to compete on equal terms with all the majors in this field.

The Legal 500 UK 2021

  • Single page view

Matthew Barnett

Head of Private Client UK

Matthew joined the Private Client team as a Partner in 2019 from Harbottle & Lewis.

Matthew acts for high-net-worth individuals on a wide range of estate and succession planning issues. He has extensive experience in advising high-net-worth clients on lifetime gifting and on the use of wills and trusts for the protection of wealth for future generations. He regularly advises trustees on their duties, responsibilities and specific aspects of tax and trust planning. Matthew also advises business owners and entrepreneurs on business succession planning.

Matthew has vast experience in probate and estate administration and has dealt with many high value, complex and multi-jurisdictional estates throughout his career. He often advises beneficiaries of estates on succession planning involving post-death variations.

Matthew also has particular experience in advising clients on mental capacity issues such as Lasting Powers of Attorney and Deputyship applications to the Court of Protection.

 

Expertise

  • Private Client: Overview
  • Trust planning and Succession Planning
  • Estate and Inheritance Tax Planning
  • Mental capacity including LPA’s and deputyship applications
  • Probate & estate administrations and post-death variations
  • Trust creation & administration

Experience

  • Administering a complex international estate containing a wide variety of assets (including various properties, high value vehicles and a stable of top-tier eventing horses), substantial liabilities, dealing with employee-related issues and the establishment of a charitable foundation.
  • Administration of a sizeable trust whose main asset was the copyright, rights and interests in a successful deceased author’s literary estate including liaising with agents regarding the ongoing commercial exploitation of rights, collecting royalties, preparing VAT and annual tax returns and dealing with beneficiary distributions.
  • Advising two business owners each owning a 50% share of their business to provide for succession planning for their respective families and for the future continuation of the business on the death or incapacity of one of the owners through drafting complex Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney, working with Corporate colleagues regarding revisions to company documentation and liaising with the clients’ financial advisers and accountants.
  • Successfully applying to the Court of Protection for an order to approve (i) a deed of variation of a Will to divert assets qualifying for business property relief away from the 90 year old mentally incapacitated surviving spouse to the next generation and (ii) ongoing (and obtaining retrospective approval for) gifting.

 

Credentials

  • Recommended as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 2024

  • Ranked as a ‘Leading Individual’ for Private Wealth Law in Chambers High Net Worth 2023

  • Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives – June 2002

  • Member of the Law Society

Contact

Telephone:
+4420 7691 4077

Email:
matthew.barnett@edwincoe.com

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