Judith Backo
For advice on who to talk to, call
+44 (0)20 3826 7514The French law and property team combines a breadth of experience in French law. We provide expertise and a cross-cultural approach for those looking to buy property or having property interests in France. We have a proven track record of handling high value or complex transactions and often work closely with our clients' advisers regardless of location. The department has the support of strong specialist expertise across a range of areas within the firm and in France, including cross-border estate planning, tax advice and family law.
We offer specialist, bilingual expertise to clients who require advice on all aspects of French property law and French successions.
Common areas where our team can help include:
- the sale and purchase of French immovable property
- terms of the initial contract and supporting documentation including proposed amendments or modifications
- liaising with the French notaire and other French advisers
- structure of ownership/succession planning
- cross border tax advice in relation to property ownership including wealth tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax
- sales by minors/adults with incapacity
- contentious property (in collaboration with our Paris correspondent)
- expert witness evidence and opinions on French property and succession law
- transfer of property following divorce
- cross border estate planning and wills (in collaboration with the Private Client department)
- French probate and administration
As we cannot list all the areas in which we offer advice, please call us to discuss your particular requirements.
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
- Patrick Delas 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 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.
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.org
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
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
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.frWe 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
