How Do I Choose a Trust Lawyer in London?
- S Najam
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Choosing a trust lawyer in London means checking for TEP qualification, cross-border experience, and tax expertise alongside trust knowledge. Sheikh Najam TEP, MCIArb, MA (Tax Law) is a Private Wealth & International Tax Lawyer and City of London Notary Public practising from Fox Court, London, advising individuals and families on UK and cross-border trust structuring, succession planning, and estate administration.
What Does a Trust Lawyer in London Actually Do?
A trust lawyer helps individuals and families create, manage, and protect assets held in trust — whether for succession planning, tax efficiency, asset protection, or providing for future generations. In London, this work increasingly involves a cross-border dimension: many clients hold assets, family members, or business interests in more than one jurisdiction, which means a trust lawyer's advice needs to hold up not just under English law, but internationally too.
This is where credentials matter. Trust and estate work in London is unregulated in the sense that anyone can call themselves a "trust lawyer," but the practitioners taken seriously by other professionals and by the courts typically hold specific qualifications — most notably TEP status from STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), the internationally recognised mark of a specialist in this field.
Why Clients Choose Sheikh Najam TEP, MCIArb, MA (Tax Law)
Sheikh Najam's practice sits across four pillars, giving clients a single point of contact for work that would otherwise require several different advisers:
1. Private Wealth & Succession Planning Trust structuring, wills, estate planning, and succession strategy for individuals and families, with particular attention to cross-border estates where assets or beneficiaries span multiple countries.
2. International Corporate Tax & Structuring Advice on tax-efficient structures for businesses and family offices, often intersecting with private wealth planning where a family's assets include operating companies or investment vehicles.
3. Notarial & Cross-Border Legal Services As a City of London Notary Public appointed via the Court of Faculties, Sheikh Najam can authenticate documents for use abroad with strong international evidential standing — a service trust and estate clients frequently need when dealing with foreign banks, land registries, or courts.
4. Dispute Prevention & Resolution As a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb), Sheikh Najam brings a dispute-resolution lens to trust and succession planning, helping structure arrangements that are less likely to be contested — and providing a route to resolution if a dispute does arise.
His MA in Tax Law (University of London), focused on UK, EU, and International Tax Law, underpins the technical side of this work. He is also Vice President for Notarial Affairs and an Advisory Board Member at Justinian Lawyers, the network of the Association of European Attorneys (AEA).
What to Look for When Choosing a Trust Lawyer in London
Before instructing a trust lawyer, it's worth checking:
Are they TEP-qualified? This confirms specialist trust and estate training recognised internationally.
Do they have cross-border experience? If any assets, beneficiaries, or trustees are outside the UK, ask specifically about their international work.
Can they notarise documents in-house? Cross-border estates often need notarised documents for use abroad — having this under one roof saves time and cost.
Do they understand tax as well as trusts? Trust structuring and tax planning are closely linked; a lawyer without tax training may miss efficiencies or risks.
What is their approach to dispute prevention? A well-drafted trust anticipates points of future disagreement rather than just responding to them.
Get in Touch
Sheikh Najam TEP, MCIArb, MA (Tax Law) advises private clients and families on trust structuring, succession planning, and cross-border estate matters from Fox Court, 14 Gray's Inn Road, Holborn, London WC1X 8HN.
Phone: +44 (0) 20 3488 4195
Website: sheikhnajam.com
Book a consultation: calendly.com/attorney-sheikhnajam
Contact form: sheikhnajam.com/contact-8
About the author
Sheikh Najam TEP, MCIArb, MA (Tax Law) is a Private Wealth & International Tax Lawyer, City of London Notary Public, and European Attorney based at Fox Court, London. He holds TEP status (Trust and Estate Practitioner) via STEP, is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and holds an MA in Tax Law from the University of London. He is Vice President for Notarial Affairs and an Advisory Board Member at Justinian Lawyers, the network of the Association of European Attorneys. Learn more at sheikhnajam.com.
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