Spear’s Review

‘The distinctive thing about Macfarlanes is that we have a reputation as the only firm that is known as a leader in both private client and corporate work,’ says Charles Gothard, the razor-sharp lead of the firm’s family office group.

As part of his role, Gothard specialises in estate planning, wealth structuring and philanthropy, all in the context of complex international tax planning. He says the firm has a ‘disproportionate number’ of entrepreneurs as clients, who are attracted by a firm that can advise on their personal matters while having a full understanding of their business – should the need for restructuring arise, for example.

A significant pattern in recent years has been the amount of international probate work landing on his desk, which demonstrates above all else ‘the importance of organising one’s affairs in one’s lifetime so you don’t leave a mess’, Gothard says.