Spear’s Review

Matthew Barnett is UK head of private clients at Edwin Coe.

Barnett advises his clients – HNWs, trustees, business owners and entrepreneurs – on estate administration, tax planning and structuring, and succession planning, as well as the use of wills and trusts.

While much of his practice covers non-contentious matters, sometimes ‘quasi-contentious’ issues arise where a client reaches out to a private client solicitor prior to a litigator. In cases such as these, it is important to Barnett to work collaboratively to get to a settlement rather than progress to litigation. ‘It’s taking time to communicate and have empathy, but also have an understanding that there are always two sides to the story,’ he tells Spear’s. 

‘The law in this area and the taxation in this area is very complex, and what you have to be able to do is communicate with your client in a way that gives them sufficient comfort, but is also explained in a way which they understand.’