Charles Gothard Partner

Partner

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Charles specialises in advising international families and entrepreneurs as well as the family offices, trust companies and other institutions helping them.

His work often relates to their estate planning, structures (whether trusts, foundations or other vehicles), philanthropy and personal affairs. This frequently involves complex international tax and estate planning, co-ordinating advice from advisers in different jurisdictions and often in situations with little or no UK connection. He also regularly advises foreign residents on the most tax efficient way to structure UK investments or a move to the UK.

Charles also has significant experience of contentious UK and international trust and probate work – resolving disputes between trustees or executors and beneficiaries, acting for either side.

Charles heads the firm’s family office group and is country partner for Switzerland so has overall responsibility for our relationships in Switzerland.

Charles lectures regularly in the UK and abroad and has published articles in many of the leading professional publications. He is the joint editor of The World Trust Survey – an overview of the trust laws of 34 jurisdictions published by Oxford University Press and the joint author of a chapter on “Protectors” in Tolley’s Administration of Trusts.

Charles is a member of ACTAPS (Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists).

Charles is ranked as a Band One adviser in the HNW edition of the independent Chambers guide and as a leading individual in the UK Legal 500 guide. He has been recognised in the eprivateclient 2021 50 Most Influential list and is recommended in the 2023 Spear’s 500 guide.

Expertise

Recent work

Multi-billion dollar international trust

Advising on a multi-billion dollar international trust restructuring which resulted in the establishment of a major philanthropic foundation. The funding of the foundation involved the transfer of a controlling interest in a significant multi-national family owned business and marked the end of decades of family control.

A trust company

Advising a trust company following the principal’s death in relation to their duties and responsibilities as trustee and in assisting the executors of the estate. This matter raised complex issues around the interaction between the trust and estate and the application of Sharia law.

Gulf clients

Advising various Gulf clients owning significant operating businesses in the region in relation to the establishment of asset holding structures (for local and international assets) and family and corporate governance structures for succession, asset protection and consolidation purposes.

International business owner and his family office

Advising an international business owner and his family office in anticipation of his relocation to the UK and on various aspects relating to the family’s relocation, such as the purchase of a high value London home involving difficult construction law issues and the new UK statutory residence test.

International trust company group

Advising an international trust company group on new user-friendly standard form trust documents and client acceptance forms.

An international family

Reviewing the existing estate and succession planning and family governance arrangements for an international family with homes, business interests and other assets in numerous jurisdictions. Working closely with the family office to devise and implement arrangements which better reflect the family’s needs and objectives.

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What people are saying

"Charles is a powerhouse. He's very highly thought of by the market."

Chambers HNW 2025