Payne Hicks Beach

Spear’s Review

Founded in 1770 and based in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Payne Hicks Beach is a full-service law firm that provides legal advice and litigation services for domestic and international high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices and corporates.

Particularly well known for its family and private client work, the firm is equipped to handle estate and succession planning; family, children, divorce and surrogacy; litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution; property and landed estates; citizenship and immigration; employment; and a range of corporate matters.

High-profile lawyers act for high-profile clients: Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia is arguably the UK’s most well-known divorce lawyer, and has acted for clients including Paul McCartney, Stephen Hawking, Princess Haya bint Hussein of Jordan and King Charles in his divorce from Diana. 

Company Profile 

Payne Hicks Beach is a full-service law firm providing specialist legal services tailored for domestic and international high-net-worth private individuals and families, family offices and commercial clients. Its offices in Lincoln’s Inn, which it has occupied since its establishment in 1770, complement its long and distinguished heritage. The firm is well known for building very strong client relationships, often spanning several generations, and for having a thoroughly 21st-century approach.

With a stellar reputation built on its family and private client work, it is regarded as one of the very best of the small number of firms in the UK providing these specialist services at the highest level. This capability is matched by topranking expertise in key areas of law including: privacy, media and reputation management, art and cultural property, philanthropy, citizenship and immigration, dispute resolution, litigation, corporate and commercial, property including prime residential, landed estates and agriculture, employment, criminal law, white-collar crime and regulatory, surrogacy, fertility, adoption and modern family law.

Expert teams take the time to understand clients’ needs fully, advising objectively but sensitively to suit their particular circumstances or commercial realities, and to ensure the firm provides the right bespoke advice. Whether an individual or a corporate client, the advice will be incisive, straightforward and solution-led. Used to working under pressure, often in stressful and sometimes emotional situations, the firm handles difficult issues sensitively and is completely focused on protecting its clients’ interests.

Much of the firm’s work is international, with clients from the US, Scandinavia, Middle East, Far East, Africa, Switzerland and other European countries. Clients include: ultra-high-net-worth/high-net-worth and affluent individuals and families (UK and international), landed estate owners, entrepreneurs, trustees, fiduciaries and family offices, family businesses, private and listed companies, charities and not-for-profit organisations, schools, financial institutions and professional practices.

Above all, the firm focuses on client care. Its structure, culture and commitment to outstanding client service ensures it can deftly handle complex problems for clients across their personal or business lives, delivering seamless advice across all its practice areas.