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.