SILK PROFILE

William Massey KC

UK Bar 2026

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Ranked in 2 practice areas

About

Provided by Pump Court Tax Chambers

Practice Areas

Inheritance Tax

Capital Gains Tax

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Trusts & Estates

Career

William’s practice covers all areas of personal and corporate taxation, tax appeals and other tax-related litigation.

Seen as the “doyen of the private client world,” William is best known for his expertise in private client tax, particularly in estate tax planning, heritage property, conditional exemption, business and agricultural property reliefs, and trust and succession planning.

Recent cases include Murphy & Linnett v HMRC [2023] EWCA Civ 497 in which William led for the taxpayers in the Court of Appeal, successfully challenging HMRC’s interpretation of Extra-statutory Concession B18, conferring on UK resident beneficiaries a right to credit for UK income tax paid by offshore trustees.

A significant part of William’s trust and succession planning practice involves Part 8 applications in the High Court under the Variation of Trusts Act 1958, often involving the extension of a trust period and perpetuity period, applications under s.57 Trustee Act 1925, applications under s.48 Administration of Justice Act 1985, and rectification actions.

Williams’s full profile, including details of his areas of specialism and recent cases, can be found here: William Massey KC | Pump Court Tax Chambers

Professional Memberships

Revenue Bar Association

Chancery Bar Association

London Common Law & Commercial Bar Association

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

UK Bar

Tax: Private Client - London (Bar)

Star Individual
Star Individuals

Individual Editorial
William Massey KC is a noted expert on Inheritance Tax, particularly Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief matters.

Agriculture & Rural Affairs - London (Bar)

Band 2
Band 2

Individual Editorial

William Massey KC of Pump Court Tax Chambers is recognised as the leading expert on the tax aspects specific to landed estates and agricultural land. He is particularly well known for his work on matters concerning heritage property and the succession of farms and estates. He is further noted for his in-depth knowledge of business assets requiring agricultural relief.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • William is a master of the landed estate sector.

    Tax: Private ClientUK Bar
  • William speaks with exceptional gravitas.

    Tax: Private ClientUK Bar
  • William is one of my barristers of choice on complex matters involving land, especially AHA tenancies and land pooling.

    Tax: Private ClientUK Bar
  • He is the expert on relief structuring.

    Agriculture & Rural AffairsUK Bar

Ranked Barristers at Pump Court Tax Chambers (47)

London (Bar)

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