Dawn Alderson
For advice on who to talk to, call
+44 (0)20 3826 7514We offer specialist, bilingual expertise to clients who require assistance with the management and administration of a deceased person's estate in France.
Common issues where our team can help include:
- administration of the French assets in a UK will
- payment of French Inheritance Tax and issues of domicile/tax residency
- interaction of the two countries' laws relating to Inheritance Tax
- the impact of French succession law
- the disposal of the French assets
- preparation of the tax declaration and other papers required to obtain the release of assets to the UK executors
- affidavits of French law for use in UK probate applications
- affidavits of English law required by the French notaire
- family disputes on death involving French law/assets
- advising beneficiaries of a Will or intestacy where deceased died resident in France
Our team
- All members of the team from our lawyers to our administrative assistants and support staff are bilingual. Our team of lawyers has first hand knowledge of the interaction of the French and English legal systems. We have huge experience in the field of French property and succession and are frequently asked to act as expert witness on matters of French laws in legal proceedings conducted in the UK. Much of our work comes from referrals from other lawyers and professional firms.
- We belong to the relevant professional associations including the Franco-British Lawyers Society, the French Chamber of Commerce and STEP UK and STEP France (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners).
Our people
- Our French Law and Property team is led by Dawn Alderson, an experienced bilingual Avocat and Solicitor qualified in both French and English law. Dawn practised in France for over a decade before joining Russell-Cooke in 2000.
- Dawn works closely with:
- Patrick Delas who has qualified as a French Avocat in 1995 and deals with a wide range of matters relating to French property ownership including advice on acquisition, inheritance and tax law.
- Judith Backo who is trained as a notaire (diplômée notaire France) and worked for more than five years in several notarial firms, most of them being based in the French Alps, before moving to London.
- They all have extensive experience of French law that comes only from working in France and an extensive network of French contacts.
Why us?
If you would like to speak with a member of our French law and property team please call 020 3826 7514 or complete our enquiry form.
In the press
01/04/2019 Ça n’finira jamais - Russell-Cooke in Trusts and Estates Law and Tax JournalIn the press
29/09/2016 International relationships – cross-border asset issues for couples – Russell-Cooke in PrimeResiNews
09/07/2020 Russell-Cooke’s private wealth and family lawyers showcased in Chambers High Net Worth 2020
Avocat au Barreau de Bordeaux
Dawn Alderson dual-qualified solicitor in England & Wales and Avocat au Barreau de Bordeaux (French practising avocat).
www.barreau-bordeaux.avocat.fr
Avocat au Barreau de Paris
Patrick Delas dual-qualified solicitor in England & Wales and Avocat au Barreau de Paris (French practising avocat).
www.avocatparis.org
Chambers High Net Worth
Chambers and Partners has dedicated the last 25 years to researching and ranking the world’s best lawyers. The Chambers High Net Worth guide is Chambers and Partners' first publication specifically aimed at the international private wealth market. The guide covers private wealth management work and related specialisms in key jurisdictions around the world, featuring in-depth editorial about the leading lawyers and law firms for wealthy individuals and families.
www.chambersandpartners.com
CRIDON LYON
For more than 50 years the CRIDON LYON has been the expert legal advisor for notaires and their collaborators. Created in 1962, the CRIDON LYON is a 'Groupement d’Interet Economique' (GIE) [group of economic interest] whose members are the 28 departmental (provincial) chambers of notaires located around the Rhin-Rhone-Mediterranean area and representing more than 3,000 notaires. A board of three administrators and a counsel of 12 members, all notaires elected by the general meeting ensure the CRIDON LYON governance. The GIE executive management ensures the operational function of the company. Its 76 collaborators undertake daily legal consulting services in all main areas of law (domestic and international), training, documentation input in paper or digital format.
www.cridon-lyon.fr
Private Client Practitioner Top 25 Law Firms
eprivateclient is the leading website and news service for private client practitioners, including lawyers, accountants, trustees and fee-based IFAs. It is the only place to see the results of the Private Client Practitioner Top 25 Law Firms, Top 25 Accountancy Firms, Top 25 Trust Companies, Top 25 IFA Companies, Top 35 Under 35 and 50 Most Influential.
eprivateclient.com
STEP
Dawn Alderson is a member of STEP (the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners). STEP is the leading worldwide body for practitioners in the fields of trusts, estates and related issues
www.step.orgWe work on hourly rates which reflect the skill and experience of our French qualified lawyers (who in most cases are also English solicitors), and other bilingual members of the team.
At the outset we will let you have an estimate or budget of the likely costs based on the information available to us at the time and will update these if your requirements or the circumstances of the case change.
We will work with you and your other professional advisers to find a solution which is effective across boundaries and taking into account not only the level of risk which you are prepared to accept but also the relative financial importance of the matter to you.
French Property Law
The French team has launched its own dedicated French property website which provides a comprehensive resource for people looking to buy a property or with property interests in France.
www.frenchpropertylaw.co.uk
