Over the years LawExchange has helped member firms to ensure their clients receive outstanding legal service outside their own jurisdictions. In turn members also stand to receive instructions and new clients from those referring to them.Up to now LawExchange has principally applied to corporate and commercial, litigation and employment work.   However, increased globalisation has meant that changes to regulations, succession laws and Revenue practices around the world have intensified.   This has resulted in the need for individuals who move or operate in different jurisdictions to have access to the best quality advice on how to hold their assets, tax treatment and succession.We believe that now is therefore the time to consider widening the service which LawExchange provides to its members so that it includes legal services for individuals.   If there is support for this proposal within the Group, then what we would like to propose is:

• A dedicated space dealing with this Private Client initiative (and legal services for individuals generally) on the LawExchange website.

• That this initiative is touched upon at the forthcoming LawExchange conference in London and at future conferences.

• That there is an improvement in lines of communication so that, where international issues arise for private clients, it is easy to get in touch with appropriate members who can advise or act as gatekeepers in providing advice to those clients which fulfils the LawExchange objective of giving exceptional client service.

Whilst both Hewitsons (England) and Lindsays (Scotland) provide advice to both UK and international clients on matters of property acquisition, tax planning, succession and trusts, we are conscious that not all member firms do so.   Clearly this initiative is likely to be of most interest to those members who themselves provide Private Client services.   Indeed, a significant part of the initiative would be for these members to establish relationships with each other and, in particular, to identify the gatekeepers who can put member firms in touch with the most appropriate lawyers to advise on Private Client issues.   We anticipate that this will work in the same way as the Charities and Education initiative and indeed cross over in areas such as trusts and philanthropy.However, because individuals lie behind all business transactions, it would also be our ambition to enable all member firms to benefit from this Private Client initiative in one of two ways:

1. By ensuring that private individuals they know can access high quality legal services in other jurisdictions through the LawExchange network.

2. Even if a member firm cannot provide the legal service which a private individual referred to them by another member requires, they can obtain credit from the third party legal firms in their own jurisdiction to which the recommended individual is referred.

From collaborating on client matters globally to working together locally, LawExchange International members work together in many ways. Click here to see more.