“I really enjoy my work advising individuals, families and trustees. And I feel very privileged to be trusted counsel to my clients.”

Chris is a leading private client, trust and charity law practitioner.

He advises high-net-worth individuals, families and trustees throughout the UK and overseas on personal tax, trusts and succession planning. He also advises charities on governance, regulatory and constitutional matters.

Areas of practice include:

Sector experience includes:

Admitted

2002: Scotland
2009: England and Wales

Relevant experience

Advising a family with interests in a large Scottish Rural Estate on multi-generation tax and succession planning.
Advising Scottish estates on succession and tax planning including on the use trusts and associated tax advice including on the Conditional Exemption for Inheritance Tax.
Advising an ultra-high-net-worth international family (with significant rural/forestry interests) on personal tax- and succession-planning.
Negotiating effective settlements for executors and beneficiaries of trust and estate disputes.
Advising on tax-efficient succession-planning for high-value residential property.
Advising a family who had generated substantial wealth through cryptocurrency on succession- and tax-planning.
Advising a large-scale public trust on a proposed application for charitable status, including advice on pursuing adjustments to prevailing legislation and relevant constitutional adaptations.
Advising on the transfer of elements of the charitable operations of a leading Scottish not-for-profit organisation to a newly established charitable company. The restructuring involved detailed governance advice to the trustees of the organisation, amendments to the constitution and effective discussions with the charity regulator OSCR.
Advising on the enforcement provisions under Charity legislation in Scotland, in respect of potential misconduct by Trustees.
Advising a philanthropic donor on the funding arrangements in respect of a significant donation, which required advice on re-organising the constitutional arrangements to enable qualification for charitable status.

“Chris is able to synthesise the most complex legal issues into straightforward practical advice, which is a real talent.”

Legal 500 (2024)

Further testimonials

“My experience of partners in the firm is that they demonstrate a very reliable and high standard of professionalism and show a moral compass in their work. The partner I have most to do with at present is Mr Chris McGill, who is an excellent professional, in whom I have complete confidence.”

Legal 500 (2022)

“Chris has very acute vision when working through complex family situations. He is very good at seeing the wood from the trees and for taking a firm stand with individuals when required. Chris handles correspondence quickly and efficiently and always seems fully briefed.”

Legal 500 (2023)