WHN Business Succession Planning Team

Our dedicated Team is made up of experts who understand the complexities of effective business succession planning and the importance of the future of your business to you and your family. We can help you put the best possible plan in place to ensure the results of your hard work are protected and that your business continues to thrive in the event of your death.

With experts in both law and wealth management we will work together seamlessly to offer you the best advice – developing a plan that is unique to you and your individual circumstances.

At WHN we pride ourselves on the relationship that we have with our clients and our succession planning service isn’t just a one-time transaction. We will continue to proactively work with you to adapt your plan to ensure that any changes in your circumstances are taken into account – ensuring you have peace of mind.

What is Business Succession Planning?

Business succession planning is important for business owners as it looks to protect the business in the future and minimise any disputes which may arise. The process will consider every aspect of your business and how it could fit into a will or trust, ready to be distributed to your chosen beneficiaries when the time comes. In addition good succession planning will consider all other areas of law and wealth management that are relevant to your circumstances to ensure every opportunity to protect your wealth is explored.

How can we help?

We understand that no business or family is the same and we work with you to understand your individual circumstances. Our team will consider all avenues to which could include:

Wills, Probate & Trusts

Our experts who deal with wills, probate and trusts can help you navigate the legalities of who you pass your business on to. We can look at any current wills to ensure that they are still relevant and advise where we think amendments may be required. We will discuss with you how you would like to distribute your assets, considerations around lasting powers of attorney and will also offer advice on where we think long-term trusts may be beneficial.

Family Law

Our family law experts have vast experience in assisting business owners protect their assets. This could be advice on post or pre nuptial agreements to protect for the future or legal advice on finances should a relationship break down.

Corporate Law

We understand that business succession planning should offer you peace of mind that plans will be implemented when the time comes with minimal disruption to your business. Our Corporate Law experts can advise on your current documentation, contracts and partnership/shareholder agreements and suggest amendments that may be required to ensure a smooth transition and reduce the potential for any future disputes. We also understand that not everyone wants to pass on their business to family members. Our corporate law solicitors can also offer practical advise on preparing your business for sale should this be your preferred option.

Debt Recovery

A number of our clients benefit from our debt recovery service. We understand that a healthy cashflow is vital to the success of a business. We can help ease the pressure of unpaid debts and reduce the impact that they may have on the profitability of your business. We can work with you in a number of ways ranging from carrying out a full credit control and systems audit to help you introduce a streamlined and effective debt recovery process to sending legal letters and issuing court proceedings to recover outstanding debts, thereby ensuring you are passing on a business that is financially strong.

Commercial property

If you have a number of properties in your business portfolio we have commercial property experts, with many years experience, who can offer advice on how to manage these to ensure that they continue to be a valuable asset to your business. We have expertise all in areas of commercial property and can guide you through the various rights and statutory procedures to plan for the future.

Wealth Management

Working alongside our legal experts, we also have experts in the field of wealth management who can offer independent advice in the following areas:

  • Investment planning
  • retirement planning
  • Inheritance tax
  • protection planning
  • tax mitigation
  • asset protection

We understand that there is much to consider when thinking about how to protect your business. That is why we have produced this a useful guide which aims to give a more in depth overview of what you need to consider. Please click the link below to download your guide.

Our Business Succession Planning Experts

Our experts are on hand to assist you in developing your business succession plan. To find out more about each inidividual’s area of expertise, please follow the links below.

Michael Shroot – CEO

Stephen Parr – Director & Head of Wills, Probate and Trusts

Caroline Potts – Tax and Trust Manager

David Connor – Director & Head of Family Law

Paul Matthews – Director & Head of Corporate and Commercial Team

Sara Beaumont – Director & Head of Debt Recovery Team

Daniel Long – Director & Head of Commercial Property Dispute Resolution

Brian Ollerton – Financial Services Manager

Rob Buckley – Financial Services Consultant

Need expert advice? Let us help

If you would like further information on how our Business Succession Planning service can help your business, contact Rob Buckley in the first instance on 01706 233 431 or email rob.buckley@whnsolicitors.co.uk