Mark McKeown

Since qualifying as a solicitor, I have specialised in tax and estate planning work for private clients and their families. Whilst that work still forms a significant part of my practice, I now have a particular focus on providing advice to philanthropists on the legal and tax aspects of how they structure their giving, and those in the charity sector.

The work which private client and charity lawyers undertake can be complex, and clients expect technical proficiency, so working and sharing knowledge with colleagues across the firm and in wider professional networks is important. I am a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), having obtained the STEP Certificate in Cross-Border Estates with Distinction, and cross-border work continues to be an area of interest. I am also a member of the Charity Law Association and have served on the boards of a number of charities. My aim is to communicate the technical aspects of my advice to clients as clearly as possible.

It gives me a great deal of satisfaction to help clients to establish frameworks for their estate planning and philanthropic objectives and then to develop strategies with them, often focusing on the most tax-efficient methods of doing so. Seeing the successful outcomes of these strategies is a very rewarding aspect of acting as a professional adviser.