Xavier Nicholas

Partner, Head of Private Client

Xavier advises on personal taxation, trust and estate planning, and family governance, for individuals and trustees in the UK and overseas.

He has considerable expertise in advising on the establishment, taxation and operation of asset holding structures – including companies, partnerships, trusts, private trust companies and foundations.

Xavier acts as a trusted advisor to wealthy families in the UK and internationally. He has particular experience in advising families and trustees with business interests. He works closely with the real estate team at Forsters to advise on the tax and other implications of UK property ownership, investment and development.

On the international side, areas of particular expertise include pre-arrival tax planning for individuals wishing to become UK resident, remittance basis planning for UK resident non-UK domiciliairies, and succession planning for those with assets in more than one jurisdiction. He frequently advises clients who have a US connection, both on the UK aspects of US/UK estate planning, and the interaction between UK and US taxes.

Having graduated with a first class degree, Xavier trained and spent the first four years of his legal career at Macfarlanes LLP, where he qualified as a Solicitor in 2007. He joined Forsters in 2009, and is exceptional in having become a Partner after only six years' qualification, in 2013. He is recognised as being both technically gifted and commercially astute.

In his time as Head of Private Client, Xavier has led the group to be awarded as the "STEP Private Client Team of the Year" for three consecutive years. In 2022, he was listed as one of ePrivateclient's "50 Most Influential" private client professionals and is ranked in the Chambers HNW Guide. Xavier is a recommended lawyer in the 2023 edition of The Legal 500 and a top recommended lawyer in the Spear’s Tax and Trusts Indices 2023.

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The Life Cycle of Family Wealth

From growing a business to starting a family or handing over control of that business to the next generation, every individual has their own goals to aspire to. Our Private Wealth lawyers advise our clients throughout this family life cycle, providing the legal advice required for specific transactions such as purchasing a home or selling a business, whilst also advising on the long-term opportunities for succession and estate planning.

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Awards and recognitions

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