Legal services
An expert team, working through Rathbones Legal Services Limited, and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, offers a range of private client legal services, all to suit your individual circumstances.
Our team can help in preparing wills and giving advice on inheritance tax; they can take care of issues connected to residential property, like purchase, lending and right issues, and they are expert in the complexities of landed estates.
Wills, trusts and power of attorney services
Residential property services
Landed estates
We want to give you the best possible experience but if at any point you are unhappy with any aspect of our legal team’s service, please see our attached advice on how to complain and our complaints procedure.
So that you have as much information as possible up front, we have put together details of how we charge in relation to residential conveyancing and probate matters. For residential conveyancing, please see attached note on our fees and, for charges for probate work, please see attached note. Please also see our attached Terms of Business.
Rathbones Legal Services Limited is a company which is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under SRA number 636409.
OUR TRUST AND TAX Legal TEAM
Matthew Wakefield
Private Client Solicitor and Managing Director of Rathbones Legal Services
Matthew Wakefield
Private Client Solicitor and Managing Director of Rathbones Legal Services
London
Matthew joined Rathbones in 2014, having previously worked closely with Rathbones for a number of years as a partner, with Julian Whately, of Rooper & Whately solicitors. Matthew qualified as a solicitor in 1999 and has extensive experience of advising clients in relation to their Wills, probates, powers of attorney and trusts. Matthew also advises clients, including a number of landed estates, on succession planning and the proper mitigation of inheritance tax and capital gains tax.
Where appropriate, Matthew has taken on fiduciary roles for clients and their families – whether as an executor, attorney or trustee – and aims to carry out these roles responsibly and with sensitivity to the needs of the client’s circumstances, as required
Matthew joined Rathbones in 2014, having previously worked closely with Rathbones for a number of years as a partner, with Julian Whately, of Rooper & Whately solicitors. Matthew qualified as a solicitor in 1999 and has extensive experience of advising clients in relation to their Wills, probates, powers of attorney and trusts. Matthew also advises clients, including a number of landed estates, on succession planning and the proper mitigation of inheritance tax and capital gains tax.
Where appropriate, Matthew has taken on fiduciary roles for clients and their families – whether as an executor, attorney or trustee – and aims to carry out these roles responsibly and with sensitivity to the needs of the client’s circumstances, as required
Christopher Hordern
Property Solicitor and Director of Rathbones Legal Services
Christopher Hordern
Property Solicitor and Director of Rathbones Legal Services
London
Christopher is a solicitor specialising in agricultural and residential property. He is also a qualified Chartered Surveyor and has extensive practical experience of the sale, purchase and management issues arising out of the ownership of residential property and landed estates for both private and institutional landowners. Prior to joining Rathbones, Christopher was a partner in Thrings solicitors and at Lee & Pembertons.
In addition to sales and purchases, Christopher also deals with secured lending, leases, easements, covenants, sporting rights, first registrations of title and other associated matters for both the rural and residential markets. In particular he deals with complex sales and purchases involving overage provisions, options, conditional contracts and exchanges of land.
Christopher is a solicitor specialising in agricultural and residential property. He is also a qualified Chartered Surveyor and has extensive practical experience of the sale, purchase and management issues arising out of the ownership of residential property and landed estates for both private and institutional landowners. Prior to joining Rathbones, Christopher was a partner in Thrings solicitors and at Lee & Pembertons.
In addition to sales and purchases, Christopher also deals with secured lending, leases, easements, covenants, sporting rights, first registrations of title and other associated matters for both the rural and residential markets. In particular he deals with complex sales and purchases involving overage provisions, options, conditional contracts and exchanges of land.
Alexandra Pike
Private Client Solicitor and Director of Rathbones Legal Services
Alexandra Pike
Private Client Solicitor and Director of Rathbones Legal Services
London
Alexandra joined Rathbones in 2017, having previously worked at Wedlake Bell LLP in their Private Client team. Alexandra qualified as a solicitor in 2007, having trained at Mills & Reeve LLP.
Alexandra specialises in tax and trusts and is particularly experienced in: advising on and implementing tax-efficient strategies for both UK and non-UK domiciliaries; trust drafting; succession planning including drafting complex wills; advising in relation to onshore and offshore trusts; administering estates (including cross-border estates); creating charities; and capacity issues / OPG applications.
She has experience of advising entrepreneurial clients, trustees and landed estates.
Alexandra is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
Alexandra joined Rathbones in 2017, having previously worked at Wedlake Bell LLP in their Private Client team. Alexandra qualified as a solicitor in 2007, having trained at Mills & Reeve LLP.
Alexandra specialises in tax and trusts and is particularly experienced in: advising on and implementing tax-efficient strategies for both UK and non-UK domiciliaries; trust drafting; succession planning including drafting complex wills; advising in relation to onshore and offshore trusts; administering estates (including cross-border estates); creating charities; and capacity issues / OPG applications.
She has experience of advising entrepreneurial clients, trustees and landed estates.
Alexandra is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.