Trilegal

Trilegal's Private Client practice has earned a strong reputation for delivering tailored solutions to high-net-worth individuals and family businesses. The practice advises on succession planning, family governance and disputes, tax compliance, philanthropy, art and luxury assets management, and immigration advisory.

The practice maintains strong relationships with business owners and entrepreneurs and leverages an established international network to manage complex, multi-jurisdictional matters with specialised insights and resources.

Trilegal’s practice is the only Private Client Practice in India to have submitted a petition to the Rajya Sabha Petitions Committee seeking changes to the Indian Succession Act 1925. Additionally, the firm is likely the only Tier 1 law firm offering end-to-end immigration advisory for high-net-worth individuals, including services related to surrendering citizenship and obtaining Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status.

By leveraging the firm’s expertise in corporate matters, real estate, fund management, taxation, and dispute resolution, the practice provides clients with comprehensive, tailored solutions that ensure optimal outcomes across various industries and jurisdictions.

Our expertise in wealth and family advisory:

• Estate Planning and Testamentary Services: Crafting estate and succession plans for multi-jurisdictional families, including wealth management, tax strategies, and dispute resolution.
• Succession Planning via Private Family Trusts: Designing trust structures to safeguard family assets and facilitate seamless wealth transfer across generations.
• Wills and Testamentary Documentation: Assisting with the preparation and execution of legally binding Wills.
• Family Office and Wealth Structuring: Establishing family offices, managing cross-border assets, and structuring wealth for pre-IPO and start-up companies.
• Probate and Estate Administration: Guiding clients through probate processes, ensuring smooth estate administration and legal compliance.
• Governance and Leadership Transition: Designing governance frameworks and facilitating leadership transitions in family-owned or publicly listed companies.
• Conflict Resolution and Family Settlements: Proactively managing family disputes and offering solutions through arrangements or settlements.
• Immigration Advisory: Advising on citizenship, residency, and cross-border immigration planning for multi-jurisdictional families.
• Power of Attorney for Medical Incapacitation: Ensuring decision-making autonomy in unforeseen circumstances.
• Guardianship of Minors or Persons with Disabilities: Securing the future well-being of loved ones requiring special care.
• Risk and Crisis Management: Providing reputation management, crisis response, and regulatory compliance guidance.
• Philanthropy and CSR Strategy: Structuring tax-efficient philanthropic endeavours and aligning CSR with personal goals.
• Luxury Assets and Art Acquisitions: Offering legal support for acquiring luxury assets, art, and antiquities.

Key wealth and family governance representations:

Trilegal is trusted by prominent Indian family businesses, leading start-up entrepreneurs, high-net-worth families with global footprints, and several wealth management firms, demonstrating the firm’s ability to deliver exceptional results and build lasting relationships.

• Assisting the executors of the estate of the promoter of India’s leading luxury hotels group in administrating the estate and representing them in the testamentary dispute before the Delhi High Court.
• Played a pivotal role in structuring an intricate cross-border Family Office in Singapore, managing a diverse multi-billion-dollar asset portfolio for a prominent Indian family with family members spread across multiple jurisdictions.
• Assisted one of India’s wealthiest business families in drafting a comprehensive family settlement agreement to provide a bespoke and intricate ‘fail-safe’ structure for protection against an untoward event of a forced intestate succession.
• Provided succession and estate planning advice for the promoter family of a top Indian real estate company with a multi-billion-dollar net worth.
• Assisted the vice-chairperson of a leading goods manufacturing company with estate and succession planning for Indian assets, developing a tailored strategy to address unique personal circumstances, including a same-sex marriage recognised in another jurisdiction.
• Advised a leading international auction house on contract drafting, negotiations with artists, exhibitors, and sponsors, and securing necessary licenses for auctions and art fairs.
• Prepared testamentary documents ensuring appropriate guardianship of a family member with special needs.
• Advised on trust law aspects governing the establishment and administration of private trusts as part of a high-profile settlement involving a leading fintech company and its co-founder.
• Advised on setting up employee benefit trusts to settle additional equity shares for employees following a corporate restructuring.

The Team:

Trilegal’s team brings deep expertise in private client services, offering tailored solutions in trust structuring, succession planning, family governance, and more for high-net-worth individuals and families.

Tanmay Patnaik: As the head of Trilegal’s Private Client practice, Tanmay specialises in trust structuring, wills, cross-border succession planning, corporate restructuring, family governance, and immigration advisory. He has worked with high-profile clients, including members of the Al Thani family and the Duke and Duchess of Kent, on charity structuring matters. Tanmay established the Private Client practice at Trilegal in 2023, overseeing several complex matters in collaboration with corporate, funds, and disputes teams. He has expertise in Indian exchange control and SEBI regulations. Previously, he was seconded to Mishcon De Reya LLP. Tanmay has authored numerous publications and is a frequent speaker at professional forums. Recognized as a Tier 1 lawyer by The Legal 500 and featured in '40 under 40' by Business World and Legal Era, he has contributed to Trilegal’s Private Client practice being named a winning practice at the Indian Law Firm Awards 2024.

Raj Chheda: Raj is a Counsel in Trilegal’s Private Client practice. Dual-qualified as a lawyer and Chartered Accountant, Raj has over a decade of experience advising on wills, private trusts, family settlements, and personal tax matters, and has played a key role in major M&A transactions involving the divestment of stakes by Indian promoters. His deep knowledge of corporate, legal, and exchange control regulations enhances his ability to navigate complex private client matters. He is also a prolific contributor to publications and conducts knowledge sessions for professional bodies like the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Key contacts:

Tanmay Patnaik

Partner - Private Client, Corporate, Private Wealth Law

Email: [email protected]