Private Banking & Wealth Management
Our cross departmental private wealth team advises a number of ultra-high net worth clients, family offices, owners of closely held businesses, fiduciaries, trusts and banks across a broad spectrum of private banking and wealth management matters.
Our team encompasses lawyers from our Banking & Finance, Real Estate, Corporate, Dispute Resolution, Tax, Immigration and Private Client practices. Together, we understand the various assets owned by, and needs of, our high net worth clients and can provide them with bespoke advice on a wide range of matters including:
- art sale/purchase and finance;
- Dispute Resolution (including trustee litigation);
- Real Estate sale/purchase and finance;
- investments – including investments in funds, companies, business and property;
- Tax (including inheritance tax planning, stamp duty land tax and value added tax);and
- traditional Private Client and estate planning work.
On the private client side, our Private Client lawyers regularly prepare bespoke estate plans (employing the use of UK and/or international tax structures) to assist UK and non-UK domiciled individuals and their families in managing and protecting their worldwide assets. In addition, for clients who are non-UK domiciled, we often employ simple offshore planning and structuring techniques to ensure they benefit from the significant mitigation of UK inheritance tax liability.
We also have significant experience in advising international families and residents on wealth management and estate planning matters including, in particular, clients from Scandinavia, Israel, the Middle East and the US. In providing this advice, and in putting related estate and tax planning structures in place, we work closely with our clients’ personal accountants and other independent advisors to ensure all matters are properly considered and co-ordinated.
Representative Private Banking & Wealth Management Work
Examples of our team’s private banking & wealth management work include:
- Advised a family office in relation to a £37m loan facility from Deutsche Bank in connection with the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of a BVI company holding real estate in London.
- Advised on the establishment of offshore trusts for minor beneficiaries and the mitigation of related taxes in multiple jurisdictions.
- Advised clients in connection with the purchase of art from a variety of galleries.
- Advised numerous non-domiciled clients on structuring UK and overseas assets to mitigate UK inheritance tax.
Key contacts:
Biography
Claire is head of the Legal 500 ranked Real Estate Finance team and has a wealth of experience in general lending and security matters including complex intercreditor arrangements. She acts for a wide range of UK and international financial institutions, as well as a variety of borrowers, in relation to domestic and cross-border finance transactions on a bilateral, club or syndicated basis. Claire’s particular expertise is property finance and corporate lending. Claire has a wealth of experience in drafting and reviewing the full suite of lender standard form loan and security documentation.
Claire also regularly deals with senior funding lines for her lender clients borrowing from institutional lenders as well as participators and investors funding underlying facilities with end borrowers. This involves Claire advising on various structures (such as senior loan agreements and participation agreements); security arrangements (either with security trustees; sub-charges; charges over bank accounts; and/or assignments of the underlying borrower security package) and identifying the inherent potential risks with such structures. She always seeks to improve her client’s position whilst respecting the commercially agreed terms and aligned interests of the parties.
Claire’s clients value her commercial advice combined with her technical knowledge and guidance. She ensures she has an in depth understanding and knowledge of our client’s business objectives to ensure she achieves this. She is driven, committed, personable, and always aims to exceed client expectations when it comes to service delivery and deadlines. Claire works proactively with all parties to a transaction to achieve a smooth closing. Her clients appreciate her responsiveness and attention to detail. Claire is a trusted advisor to many leading property and finance professionals in the market. This reputation is demonstrated in the client testimonials she has consistently received since being listed as a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500 in 2016.
Testimonials
Legal 500 2025 500 directory:
‘Claire Gibson has a wealth of commercial and technical knowledge, using her skill set to go above and beyond for her clients.’
Legal 500 2024 500 directory:
‘Teacher Stern’s team, led by Claire Gibson, has advised us on real estate finance for the last couple of years on various deals. The team is of the highest calibre for this sector in the London market. They are very professional and always responsive. All matters were dealt with, with attention and great flexibility. The team has proven to consist of highly skilled professionals, all of whom have very extensive knowledge of legal issues and an actual understanding of our needs, making it possible for them to provide advice and solutions, which are always individually tailored for the issues and goals in hand.’
‘Claire Gibson is our well-trusted advisor. Claire helps us resolve challenges that we, and our business, face. Claire is highly praised for providing the highest quality advice.’
‘Phil Berry and Claire Gibson both offer a wealth of knowledge in their field. Clients are central to the team’s work ethos, and they are undoubtedly people you want to have in your corner.
2023 Legal 500 directory: Claire Gibson “understands what her clients need; she combines her wealth of knowledge with a commercial outlook to deliver a stellar service time and again.’
2022 Legal 500 directory: recommended laywer.
2021 Legal 500 directory: Claire Gibson “has a wealth of knowledge in her field; her commercialism and dedication to her clients sets her apart from others”
2020 Legal 500 directory: Claire Gibson is ‘pragmatic, commercial and a pleasure to deal with.’
2018/2019 Legal 500 directory: Claire Gibson is praised for her ‘unparalleled professionalism and diligence’.
2017 Legal 500 directory: The ‘super-efficient’ Claire Gibson is ‘always on top of things’.
2016 Legal 500 directory: recommended figure of the ‘top-notch’ Claire Gibson.
Year qualified
Solicitor, 2003
Career History
Claire qualified in 2003 and joined the firm as a partner in 2014.
