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Profile:
Christopher is a Partner at the firm and head of the Private Client team. He advises a diverse range of clients including business owners and those with landed estates on succession planning, the preparation of wills, estate and tax planning, trust creation, powers of attorney and the administration of trusts and estates.
Christopher is also a director of Brachers Trust Corporation Ltd, which provides the firm’s professional executor/trustee/attorney and deputy service.
Many of Christopher’s clients are business owners looking to succession plan and a significant proportion of which are from the farming and agricultural community.
Christopher qualified as a solicitor in 2007 and specialises in capital taxes planning. He helps clients to minimise inheritance tax and capital gains tax exposure whether through will or trust planning or otherwise as part of the administration of an estate or trust.
Christopher has particular expertise in inheritance tax planning for clients with businesses and/or agricultural assets. He is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners as well as Solicitors for the Elderly and lectures for CILEX Law School on various Private Client topics.
Christopher is ranked in the top tier of the Chambers UK High Net Worth guide for Private Wealth Law. He is also named as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in the Legal 500 2024 directory. The Private Client team was also recognised for their extensive experience and sensitivity shown in supporting vulnerable clients in Court of Protection and Private Deputyship matters by winning the ‘Best Deputyship Firm’ award at the UK Probate Research awards 2023. Christopher has been shortlisted for the ‘Outstanding Achievement In The Industry’ award at The Probate Industry Awards 2024.
Christopher lays claim to having drafted the world’s highest Will at a height of 5,364 metres on a trek to Mount Everest Base Camp!
Christopher specialises in:
- Wills
- Trusts
- Estate / tax planning
- Powers of Attorney
- Administration of estates and trusts
- Agricultural law
- Business succession planning
- Deeds of variation
Practice and Sector Focus:
Qualifications and Memberships:
Recent Cases:
- Estate planning work for a wealthy couple which included the creation of Revocable Life Interest Trust Wills for maximum flexibility and asset protection purposes, Lasting Powers of Attorney for property and finance and health & welfare, numerous declarations of trust to transfer equity in investment properties in order to reduce exposure to income and capital gains tax and the setup of inheritance tax-efficient lifetime trusts.
- Acting for wealthy husband and wife clients with a multi-million pound pension, which involved the creation of an inheritance tax efficient Spousal By-Pass Trust to reduce inheritance tax exposure on second death. This achieved a potential inheritance tax saving of circa. £70,000.
- Acting in the administration of a substantial estate which included business and agricultural assets and devising a planning strategy to make full use of all inheritance tax reliefs available to the estate.
- Acting in the administration of an estate in excess of £1m which involved an application to the Court for the appointment of an independent administrator to deal with the estate whereby creditors of the estate were conflicted from acting themselves.
- Achieving a considerable capital gains tax savings for beneficiaries of a Will trust being wound up by fragmenting the beneficial ownership of trust property through the use of a Memorandum of Appropriation and a declaration of trust.
- Advising the trustees of a number of related trusts on the overall tax planning strategy of the continuation of the trusts. This involved the winding up of one of the trusts and providing assistance with the administration of the trusts including the trustees about their ongoing duties and responsibilities.
- Advising clients on the negotiation process of settling an overdue inheritance tax liability.
Awards:
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Christopher Eriksson-Lee heads the department in a gentle, but effective manner. He is popular with clients, given his willingness to listen, sensitivity to personal matters and optimism in finding suitable solutions. He is extremely likeable, which always helps.
The Legal 500 2024
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I work with Christopher Eriksson-Lee and Justine Sloover and both are efficient, knowledgeable and diligent in their work. They are also really nice people and approachable which is important to me.
The Legal 500 2024
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Christopher Eriksson-Lee has a detailed knowledge of our affairs and we are happy to place our trust in him and to accept his advice on matters that are very important to us.
The Legal 500 2023
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Very approachable and friendly. Efficient and explained facts clearly in sensible language.
Sheila Kay (client)
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It would not be possible to improve on the service. Chris did not rush us and took care to ensure we were completely happy.
Client quote
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I am enormously grateful for all your advice and input into al of this. We could never have sorted this out without your invaluable help.
Client quote
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He is excellent technically and has great inter-personal skills. He is easy to talk to and clear in his advice.
Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide 2022
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Christopher is ‘client first’ in his dealings, and takes great care to ensure the clients receive the best outcomes.
Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide 2022
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Chris is one of the most commercial private client solicitors that I have encountered… he puts the clients at the forefront of what he does.
Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide 2022