Alex is a private client solicitor who specialises in advising private individuals in relation to all aspects of their personal affairs.
Alex regularly advises on traditional UK tax planning, wills, trusts and estates. However, his particular expertise lies in advising high- and ultra-high-net-worth non-domiciled individuals and their advisors in relation to onshore and offshore tax planning, trusts, asset protection, wealth preservation, estate planning, and complex cross-border probate and estate administration.
Alex was named as one of the UK’s Top 35 Under 35 Private Client Practitioners in 2014.
Expertise
- Tax planning for UK- and non-UK domiciled individuals
- Asset protection and structuring advice for high-net-worth individuals and their structures
- Creation and administration of UK and non-UK trusts and corporate structures
- UK and complex cross-border probate and estate administration
- Wills, estate planning and inheritance tax
- Lasting powers of attorney
- Domicile and tax residence
- Remittance basis of taxation
- Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED)
Experience
- Advised an ultra-high-net-worth billionaire Dutch client and his advisers in relation to his worldwide affairs and structures including tax planning, running his trust/corporate structures, purchasing high-end residential property, purchasing and holding a very high value art collection, and investment in his family business.
- Advised one of the largest family-owned UK retail businesses in relation to a restructuring of their trust and company holding structure, asset protection, tax planning opportunities and succession planning.
- Advised an ultra-high-net-worth Swedish businessman in relation to a multimillion-pound proposed investment in a UK oil prospecting group in a tax-efficient manner.
- Advised an ultra-high-net-worth Italian family with Italian, Swiss, US and UK connections on potential inheritance/estate tax planning, asset protection and succession planning options in relation to an offshore structure which would also finance a multimillion-pound investment fund run by a family member.
- Advised an ultra-high-net-worth Swiss family in relation to their worldwide affairs, specifically advising on and selling their minority interests in a multinational retail company held through various offshore corporate and discretionary trust structures.
- Advised an ultra-high-net-worth billionaire Middle Eastern family in relation to setting up an asset protection trust structure to hold the family’s worldwide residential property, aircraft, boats and art.
- Advised an ultra-high-net-worth Russian family on the creation of an asset protection structure to hold the principal’s shares in a high-value Russian business in trust for his family. Advised a German executor in relation to a high-value and contentious complex cross-border estate with assets and beneficiaries in Germany, Luxembourg and the UK.
- Advised a senior UK judge on estate planning and preparing his Will.
- Successfully claimed sovereign immunity on a very high value residential property portfolio, saving the client tens of millions of pounds in tax.
- Advised on a mixed-use and 6 or more SDLT applications to apply the commercial rate on a £17.5m purchase, saving the client over £2m in SDLT.
- Advised on a collective enfranchisement restructuring, saving the client over £7.5m in SDLT by managing to qualify for the commercial rate of SDLT under the 6 or more rule.
- Advised on a multiple dwellings relief application on the purchase of a central London house with a cottage in the garden, saving the client £75,000 in SDLT.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised in Chambers High Net Worth for Private Wealth Law (2022-2024)
“Alex is very practical and very intelligent.” Chambers High Net Worth 2024
“Alex Boothman has an excellent grasp of complex matters, quick assimilation of information and he offers his clients pragmatic advice.” Chambers High Net Worth 2024
“Alex Boothman is a very safe pair of hands, providing sound and thorough advice in a timely fashion.” Chambers High Net Worth 2024
Recognised in The Legal 500 for Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate (2023-2025)
“Alex is ambitious and impressive.” Chambers High Net Worth 2023
“The Keystone private client team is responsive, flexible and always contactable. Alex Boothman comes highly recommended.” The Legal 500 2023
“Very flexible and good at collaboration. They have a wide range of expertise – UK tax and probate and international tax that enables them to provide a holistic service. Alex Boothman – technical expertise in tax – highly intelligent.” The Legal 500 2023
“Alex Boothman – reliable, great expertise and able to provide accurate thorough advice promptly. He also provides efficient advice that is to the point as opposed to vague.” The Legal 500 2023
“Quickly grasps complex issues by listening and asking perceptive questions in order to get to the essence of a matter. This is a skill which is quite uncommon. He is a delight to deal with.” Chambers High Net Worth 2022
“Alex is a wise head, he is client-focused, a problem solver, and his technical knowledge is very good. His manner is also very professional and unflustered.” Chambers High Net Worth 2022
Recognised in “Firms to Watch” by The Legal 500 2022 for Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate
Awarded ePrivateclient’s Top 35 Under 35 Private Client Practitioners – 2014
Career
Alex qualified as a solicitor in 2013. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2018, he worked at the following firms:
- Irwin Mitchell
- Berkeley Law