Claire Simmons, Partner at Hay & Kilner, explores why long-term relationships and teamwork sit at the heart of effective legal advice for high-net-worth clients.
In the North East, many individuals and families have spent years building not only wealth, but businesses, property portfolios and legacies they hope will endure for generations. With that comes the need for legal advice that is thoughtful, discreet and genuinely joined-up.
High net worth clients often come to us at pivotal moments in their lives: planning for the future, investing in property, navigating family change, or dealing with complex estate and succession matters. What they value most is not just technical excellence, but the reassurance that they have a trusted team around them who understands the bigger picture.
Our private client work sits at the heart of this. From wills and trusts to estate planning and administration, our aim is to help clients protect their assets and ensure their wishes are carried out clearly and tax-efficiently. Many of our clients have complex family structures, business interests or overseas assets, and they need advice that reflects that complexity. We take the time to understand what matters to them, not just today, but for the long term.
Property is another area where we regularly support high net worth individuals across the region. Whether it is acquiring residential or investment property, managing portfolios, or dealing with development opportunities, our property specialists work closely with colleagues across the firm to ensure transactions are smooth, strategic and aligned with wider financial and family considerations.
Family law is often the most sensitive area of all. Relationship breakdown can be particularly challenging where significant assets, businesses or inherited wealth are involved. Our family team is experienced in advising on divorce, financial settlements and arrangements for children, always with discretion and pragmatism at the forefront. Just as importantly, we frequently work proactively with clients on pre- and postnuptial agreements to help protect wealth and provide clarity for the future.
What truly sets Hay & Kilner apart, however, is the strength and breadth of our team. We are a full-service law firm, which means our clients benefit from seamless access to experts across the business. A private client matter may involve input from one of our property teams such as residential, commercial or rural; a family issue may require corporate or tax expertise. Because we work collaboratively, clients are not passed from firm to firm, they are supported by one trusted team.
This approach is rooted in our belief in the power of building long standing relationships. We don’t rely on referral arrangements. Most of our work comes through returning clients, recommendations, and cross-referrals from within the firm.
Those relationships are built on trust, continuity and clear communication. Many of our clients have been with us for decades, returning at different stages of their lives and introducing the next generation to the firm.
The Hay & Kilner way is about more than legal advice. At Hay & Kilner, we pride ourselves on being a modern and progressive full-service law firm. More than just lawyers, we combine our expertise with a refreshing and personable approach. We speak your language, explaining, guiding and supporting you through the entire legal process when you need it most.
With 80 years of experience, we are proud to have built a strong reputation across the North East for delivering high-quality legal services and outstanding client care. Quite simply, we put you first and for our high-net-worth clients, that means providing confidence, clarity and continuity at every step.
www.hay-kilner.co.uk