Spear’s Review

Private client lawyer Sarah von Schmidt of Farrer & Co advises international families and their family offices, as well as entrepreneurs, family businesses and senior executives. As a partner leading the firm’s private client group, she has developed an unusually broad range of expertise in the field.

Her work includes succession planning and wealth structuring, including taking on strategic wealth planning and family governance matters, as well as helping clients to establish trusts and wills, and develop philanthropic plans. She also acts for trustees and beneficiaries on significant trust restructurings – both onshore and internationally.

Von Schmidt frequently works with multigenerational families, and she prides herself on her ability to communicate and build long-standing relationships with all generations.

Adviser Profile

Sarah is head of private client. She has a strong reputation for her work on trusts, wills and succession planning, and family constitution and governance issues.

On trust matters, she acts for trustees and beneficiaries, including those involved with onshore and international trusts, and associated with large corporations, landed estates, family offices, wealthy individuals and families.

She supports clients on the issues critical to their long-term interests, including governance and constitutions, succession planning, decision-making and investments. She also advises on issues linked to holding and structuring wealth such as planning, tax, philanthropy, wills and the transfer of wealth between generations.