Robert is an experienced lawyer who provides advice to individuals, families, trustees, executors and beneficiaries on issues relating to succession, trusts and UK personal tax. He has particular experience in the structuring and taxation of wills and trusts, and also advises on probate, powers of attorney and deeds of variation.
His clients are successful entrepreneurs, farmers and professionals and also families with inherited wealth.
Expertise
- Succession planning
- Wills
- Inheritance tax
- Capital gains tax
- Trusts and the taxation of trusts
- Lasting powers of attorney
- Probate / administration of estates
- Deeds of variation
Experience
- Advised manufacturing entrepreneurs worth £60m on their succession plan to include restructuring their existing trusts and creating trusts in their wills to claim business property relief.
- Acted for a high-net-worth family in connection with their succession plan and the creation of a new lifetime trust to hold the significant net sale proceeds of private limited company shares where business property relief had already been claimed.
- Drafted the will of a Lloyd’s name and then acted in the administration of his complex estate.
- Wound up a valuable will trust which held a farm worth £11m.
- Advised a property entrepreneur worth £50m on the restructuring of his will and various lifetime trusts to make them more tax-efficient and to better protect complex family arrangements.
- On behalf of a magic circle lawyer, successfully persuaded HMRC that a lifetime gift of part of a large manor house was not a gift with a reservation of benefit.
- On behalf of a senior judge, drafted and advised on a deed of variation for asset protection purposes.
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 (2018-2024)
“Robert is very thorough and very good. He’s a very professional private client lawyer, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to our clients.” Chambers High Net Worth 2024
“Robert has always had the hallmarks of being excellent. he is detailed, technical, and has a lovely manner with clients. I rate him highly.” Chambers High Net Worth 2024
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate (2022-2025)
“Robert Knight is an excellent private client lawyer – very thorough, attentive and personable.” The Legal 500 2025
“Robert Knight has so many qualities, from being kind to absolute professionalism. Robert is gentle and considerate in nature, he has taken the time to understand me, my family and my businesses. The advice he has provided has taken all aspects of my life into consideration and importantly made it a simple process to understand. Robert is also very patient and appreciates my busy life, the communication has been excellent. I’ve received gentle reminders from Robert, this has kept the process moving and I’m pleased to say my affairs are now in place. Lastly he always has time to listen, a rare quality these days.” The Legal 500 2024
“We worked with Robert Knight on estates and trust matters, who was outstanding. We really appreciate the time Robert took to understand our aims and objectives, but also to point out relevant pitfalls and alternative approaches. Robert was also able to assist us superbly at short notice on a new matter unrelated to the original engagement. A superlative practitioner in this area.” The Legal 500 2024
“Creative in the best sense in clients’ interests, but always take care to identify risks and discuss with counsel where appropriate. Robert Knight exemplifies these qualities.” The Legal 500 2024
“Robert Knight is an excellent private client specialist.” The Legal 500 2024
“Robert Knight provides a great service to clients in the Chichester area and further afield.” The Legal 500 2023
“Robert Knight is a first-rate private client lawyer – his attention to detail and bedside manner mean that he provides a great service to clients.” The Legal 500 2023
“I have regular dealings with Robert Knight who has been excellent in providing advice to my clients. Robert is very empathetic to a clients needs and is an extremely good listener. He personally deals with my clients which is what i like and is very responsive not only in contacting the client but also in providing feedback to me.” The Legal 500 2022
“A fantastic private client lawyer,” and “he is empathetic and very accessible.” Chambers High Net Worth 2022
“Robert is a rare breed of lawyer who is able to distil complex legal issues and translate to the layman. He has fantastic client rapport and great technical knowledge.” Chambers High Net Worth 2022
“He is very attentive with clients. He is an excellent listener and very empathetic to the needs of the clients.” Chambers High Net Worth 2021
“He is very bright, he is very creative and very intelligent.” Chambers High Net Worth 2021
“He is very technically adept. He is a man of great detail and clients appreciate his kind and gentle bedside manner.” Chambers High Net Worth 2020
“He has a lovely bedside manner. I think he is very personable and has got the right personality for private client work. I think people will feel at ease with him.” Chambers High Net Worth 2018
“He’s got a good client-friendly personality and he’s a very organised individual. He adopts a very thoughtful, creative approach to the problems presented to him.” Chambers High Net Worth 2018
In 2009 named as a Top 35 Under 35 Practitioner in the publication Private Client Practitioner (now ePrivateclient)
Member of STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners)
Career
Robert qualified as a solicitor in 2007. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2019, he worked at the following firms:
- DMH Stallard
- Rawlison Butler
- Stephenson Harwood
- Thomas Eggar