Ashtons Legal remains one of the most prominent firms across East Anglia, and its private client team includes strong representation both at its office in Ipswich, as well as in Bury St Edmunds. The lead contacts, who are joint heads of the lifetime planning department, are Janette Wand and Louise Cardwell. Wand is counsel to high-net-worth individuals, assisting their families with estate administration and providing advice on taxes and trusts, and Cardwell is the estate planning lead with a particular specialism in advising business owners, farmers, high-net-worth individuals, and clients with complicated succession issues. Alan Brown is a capital tax planning expert with over three decades of professional experience, and more junior lawyer Natalie Westgate continues to build experience in the field, acting for several generations of the same family. Matthew Cameron and Richard Guy are also key members of the practice.

Birketts LLP‘s Ipswich office is a key location for its private client offering in East Anglia, which stands out for advising landowners and farming families, including some of the largest in the region that have been with the firm for multiple generations. The firm’s tax advisory, private wealth disputes, and Court of Protection teams collaborate with its private client experts to provide comprehensive coverage. Claire Tenwick heads the private client advisory team in Ipswich and specialises in a range of work, including UK tax and succession planning for high-net-worth individuals and their families, as well as the creation, administration, and tax implications of trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and the administration of estates. Louise Long heads the firm-wide private client group and has 30 years of experience across the spectrum of matters. Gavin Birchall is the land and property tax specialist to note, while below partner level, Jessica Godfrey-Withey and Lisa Montgomerie are key contacts to note.

Greene & Greene in Bury St Edmunds is a particularly strong choice for tax matters, frequently assisting clients with complex taxable estates, advice regarding the latest TRS changes, trust structures, and personal tax matters, often liaising directly with HMRC. The practice is built to assist high-net-worth clients from cradle to grave, and specialist areas of advice include Court of Protection applications and care home arrangements. Wayne Perrin heads the team, regularly advising on trust matters, as well as wills, succession planning, and powers of attorney. Tax and wealth planning are the sole focuses for Andrew Cooper, and Martine Swaep handles the administration of estates, tax returns, trust administration, and will drafting. The practice has strength in depth, with Zoe Hodge and Nigel Scase among the additional key contacts.

The Peterborough office of Buckles Law plays an important role in the UK-wide private client group that is well-equipped to advise on the full range of matters in personal tax, trusts, and probate. Working closely with colleagues in Cambridge and London, the team acts for owners of family and owner-managed businesses in the circa £50m turnover space, receiving direct instructions and referrals from other professionals. Rebekkah Cooper heads the firm’s private client group, and Stephen Duffy is an estate planning expert of considerable experience. Duncan Jackson is an additional name to note with tax expertise for ultra-high-net-worth individuals

Reflecting a firm-wide expertise in personal tax, trusts, and probate, the Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds offices of Ellisons have continued to further the firm’s presence in East Anglia, acting for high-net-worth individuals in their tax and estate planning, as well as inheritance tax matters. In Ipswich, Nicola Weldon heads the private client department and boasts a broad practice that has included recent work on establishing and managing discretionary trusts and specialist inheritance tax advice to farming estates. Rachel Dawson leads the Bury St Edmunds team and is the sector lead for trust creation, administration, and winding up.

Ipswich firm Prettys Solicitors LLP is well regarded for its comprehensive expertise in wills, trusts, estate planning, and probate, wherein it advises a diverse client base, from individuals and families, to business owners and trustees. Alongside tax, succession planning, and estate management, the team also handles contentious probate and trust disputes. Emma Woollard leads the offering and is particularly renowned for her work on ultra-high-net-worth individuals' succession planning. Fiona Ashmead is the additional contact to note.

Roythornes Solicitors boasts a nationwide reputation for robust private client advice, acting in succession planning and capital tax for landed estates, farmers, agri-business owners, and companies in the renewable energy space. It also fields a dedicated Court of Protection team that assists with deputyship, attorneyship, and capacity issues. Tim Galloway is the lead lawyer, focusing on succession and capital tax planning for business-owning families; complex trust advice and restructuring; and multijurisdictional estate planning. Joseph Stoehr is highly regarded for his expertise in tax and succession planning for farming families and rural sector businesses, and Alexandra Hamilton is a contact to note for lifetime planning and post-death administration.

Barker Gotelee in Ipswich remains a strong local option for private client work, spanning wills, tax planning, and trusts and estate administration, as well as contentious matters. It retains a number of high-net-worth families as long-term clients, who are drawn to the firm’s multidisciplinary capabilities. Practice head Nick Palmer has a broad practice covering the range of advisory and contentious matters for farmers, landowners, and owners of small to medium-sized businesses. The standout junior member of his team is Kiri Nichols.

Complementing its office in Norwich, Fosters has a presence in Wymondham that contributes to the firm’s full bereavement and life planning support offering. Lisa Glynne is head of wills, trusts, and probate, and is experienced across the range of matters. Lauren Crosby is deputy head of the team and the go-to contact for trusts work.

A broad presence in East Anglia gives the private client practice at Fraser Dawbarns local links to a spread of clients, from high-net-worth individuals, academics, and entrepreneurs, to businesses and families. Sarah Lamb oversees the department from Wisbech, while Seema Solanki in Ely is an expert across estate and succession planning, drawing on a wealth of experience in working with executors, attorneys, and trustees. Kim Neal and Danielle Dennis-Betts are among a deep pool of younger talent.

Hunt & Coombs LLP's private client group assists with tax mitigation planning, will preparation and estate planning, and related contentious matters, and is noted for a niche specialism in eligibility for fully funded NHS care. Following the departure of Sally Power, leadership of the team is shared between Sallyann Short and Henry Anstey, both of whom spend a share of their time at the Peterborough office.