Family practice

Advice

Family businesses are often faced with important decisions regarding business succession and the embedding of family values within the corporate structure. This leads to specific questions regarding legal issues, ranging from ethical codes, good governance, and business succession to shareholder agreements and protective structures. Taxation, notarial practice and asset management converge. This involves the provision of complex advice, for which experience, specific know‑how, and integrity are of major importance. We can advise and guide you effectively within this arena, so that you can make responsible decisions and guarantee the continuity of the business and the family assets.

We act as the adviser who translates your wishes and expectations into legal terms. You can discuss all the advice you receive from your various advisors with us. We understand the language of the tax specialist, the civil-law notary, and the asset manager. Within that arena, you often need a “sparring partner” to work with you so as to ensure a proper legal overview. Not everything that is possible as regards taxation is ethically responsible for you. Similarly, not everything that can be arranged under inheritance law is actually what you want. What are the various possibilities, what is desirable, and what is feasible? We can act as your intermediary in creating an integrated package covering the family, company, and continuity.

Subjects

The family practice covers the following:

• family charter;
• shareholders’ agreement;
• positioning of subsequent generations;
• prenuptial agreement;
• protection clauses in the articles of association;
• establishment of a trust office foundation and trust conditions;
• inheritance/succession;
• good governance;
• business succession;
• ethical code;
• family counsellor.

In our role as lawyers and confidential advisers, we can provide a great deal of added value in assessing and combining the input from the various disciplines, thus enabling you to make sound decisions. Our lawyers have proved their worth in this field and understand what it is all about – for you!

Confidential counsellor

Our lawyers can act as a kind of “sounding board” as your confidential counsellor. The intention is not for us to replace your permanent advisers; rather, the aim is for us to act as a trusted adviser whom you can consult regarding major issues which the family business may be facing. It is precisely because we are also lawyers that we are used to thinking in terms of legal risks and the feasibility of agreements and constructions. You also want to be able to discuss your personal concerns and doubts, and you can do that with our experienced confidential counsellors.

We will be happy to inform you about this particular form of service, which is specifically based on a personal relationship of trust.

Please contact our Family Office department with any questions about these matters.