Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Collyer Bristow - core values of individuality, creativity and…
Collyer Bristow - core values of individuality, creativity and collaboration
Firm news
Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers to benefit as HMRC loses landmark case challenging high income child benefit charge Upper Tribunal success in HMRC v Wilkes regarding HICBC disputes. HMRC lost its Upper Tribunal appeal in the leading case on the controversial High Income Child Benefit Charge (the HICBC); the outcome should benefit hundreds of thousands of taxpayers whose assessments to HICBC were made by Discovery Assessments. Basically the Upper Tribunal decided that HMRC MAY NOT impose the HICBC by means of "Discovery Assessments" where the individual liable to the charge did not file a self-assessment tax assessment.
HICBC was introduced in 2013. Despite being 'high income' charge - since 6 Apr 2021 it has affected basic-rate taxpayers. Intended to claw back Child Benefit payments from couples where one partner's "Adjusted New Income" exceeds £50,000. James Austen - Partner and Head of Tax Disputes - and Associate at Collyer Bristow - represented Mr Wilkes PRO BONO in this appeal.
Boom in pre-nups as UK faces wedding boom over next 18 months and a renewed interest in prenuptial agreements - providing security, clarity and certainty in the future for both parties.
May 2020: Collyer Bristow wins LawCareers.Net Training & Recruitment Award 2020 for "Best Trainer - Medium City Firm" - structure of appraisals is clear; feedback is useful. Everyone is approachable for questions and everyone takes a genuine interest in trainees. 100% retention rate.
Collyer Bristow Gallery - hosts exhibitions such as 2019 exhibition 'Exceptional' (graduates from City and Guilds of London Art School, Goldsmiths, Royal College of Art etc.)
Sponsoring art and literary prizes
My interview
-
-
Sharon Fryer
Partner in Corporate team and Head of Commercial services department - acquisitons and disposals, investments and restructuring
Article on registering a company. Directors and shareholders. Shareholders' rights to vote, income, and capital on the sale or winding up of the business. Advice for entrepreneurs.
Collyer Bristow are innovative - e.g. video on cybersecurity and data privacy risks in collaboration with 'Cyber Risk Management Group'
-
client portfolio consists of both international and domestic clients - including commercial businesses, hnw and families, and entrepreneurs. (Long-established office in Bedford Row)
reputation for: private wealth, business and real estate, and dispute resolution services
reputation for prioritising individuality and creativity; for complicated needs, clients seek a collaborative and engaged approach
Training contract: four seat rotation through the firm's 5 key practice areas (8 seats available - encouraged to do 2 seats in dispute resolution as it is largest); mentoring scheme, allocated seat supervisors, training and appraisal programmes Expectation for trainees to take responsibility for their own files, to participate in managing the client's work with appropriate supervision, and encouraged to be involved with business development. Small intake
Seat options: private wealth (tax & estate planning, private client property, family); real estate (contentious & non-contentious, including construction); dispute resolution; corporate & commercial
'quirky, creative and friendly' - partner led
supportive environment with reports of a 'it isn't a problem to call your supervisors' - 'development coaches and trainees are assigned one for each seat they complete - ROUNDED training contract that allows trainees to improve commercial awareness and technical skills. Development coach structure makes it easier to keep track of goals and objectives.
In response to trainee feedback, the firm implemented a career development framework to develop associate performance
Evolution of firm: tech systems recently updated to help with document management and remote learning
Types of law not offered everywhere: conflict-free banking litigation, media & privacy
Departments
Dispute Resolution - covers commercial, banking and finance, employment, IP, real estate matters
-
Specialist media and privacy practice can be found under the dispute resolution banner (phone hacking claims, reputation management matters and 'right to be forgotten' cases.
Private wealth - tax and estate planning, property, family matters - immigration matters for HNW; family side - good balance between children and financial matters; pre-nups and divorce. Reports of going on own to child custody case.
CoCo - corporate and commercial work - IT contracts, data protection work, sales and purchases of small and medium enterprise businesses - drafting non-disclosures, website privacy policies (commercial); restructuring and insolvency (corporate) fintech is a growing areas of focus for the firm - advises challenger banks, forex companies, and clients using blockchain technology and cyptocurrencies
fintech is a growing areas of focus for the firm - advises challenger banks, forex companies, and clients using blockchain technology and cyptocurrenciesBlockchain: alternative dispute resolution; Mt. Gox proceedings (big case about the collapse of cryptocurrency's exchange). Japan actually held that cryptocurrency cannot be possessed or owned - they are not property so you cannot have proprietary injunctions against them. Compliance is extremely important - think about an internal regulatory body for C but not going to happen just yet as we need to understand fraud better - implications due to how intangible they are