Debenhams Ottaway

Managing Partner: Susan Glenholme

Number of partners: 18

Fee earners: 52

Firm Overview:  

Debenhams Ottaway works with high net worth individuals, their families and advisers, helping them to navigate legal challenges and make the most of new opportunities both at home and in business.

The firm's dedicated private wealth group works with business owners, family offices, successful professionals, celebrities, entrepreneurs and wealthy families based in Hertfordshire, London and across the UK who often have complex international business and property assets. As members of Eurojuris, an alliance of leading law firms throughout Europe, the firm's clients benefit from legal expertise from European member law firms who the firm knows and trusts.

Debenhams Ottaway's reputation is built on trust; it has long standing relationships with generations of families; and has combined its experience with creativity to grow a strong and loyal client base who rely on the firm to look after them and their family. The firm works closely with a network of other private wealth advisers, including financial planners, banks and accountants. They trust the firm to look after their clients and value its personal approach and technical expertise.

The firm's focus on its clients and its people has won it awards (three client service awards in the last 2 years) and outstanding client feedback. The firm uses the Net Promoter Score as a benchmark and has one of the highest scores in the legal sector. It hopes it is changing the way people think of law firms for the better.

Main Areas of Work: 

Tax & Estate Planning: 

Protecting and managing wealth now and in the future through inheritance tax, estate planning and estate administration, creating and administering tax efficient trusts, lasting powers of attorney (both personal and business), Court of Protection and professional deputyship services, structuring businesses for succession purposes.

Main contact: Susan Glenholme

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01727 735636

Family & Matrimonial: 

Providing an honest and transparent approach to divorce and separation where cases often include complex personal and business assets with an international element and challenging child arrangements. Advising on civil partnership dissolution, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, living together and cohabitation agreements and collaborative law.

Main contact: Helen Young

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01727 738212

Residential Property: 

Helping on all aspects of buying, owning, financing and selling high value residential property in prime locations in Hertfordshire and across the UK.

Main contact: Nigel Drake

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01727 735602

Employment:  

Helping owner managed, family-run and privately owned businesses to navigate the complexities of employment law and minimise commercial risk. Providing board level advice, including contract preparation and policy guidance, employment tribunal and court representation, settlement agreements and exits. Advising families with private/domestic staff on relevant employment law.

Main contact: Louise Attrup

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01727 735663

Corporate & Commercial: 

Helping entrepreneurs, owner managed and family-owned businesses to ensure their wealth is protected and maximised on the sale or acquisition of their business. Also advising on: corporate succession planning, business structuring and shareholders’ agreements; banking, finance and loan agreements; and business structuring and commercial contracts.

Main contact: Andrew Yates

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01727 735617

Commercial Real Estate: 

Advising on commercial property transactions for investors, developers and lenders, including landlord and tenant work, property development, sales and purchases of owner occupied and investment property and secured lending.

Main contact: Jonathan Foy

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01727 735630

Dispute Resolution & Litigation: 

Helping owner managed, family-run and privately owned businesses with boardroom disputes such as fall outs with directors and between minority and majority shareholders, company dissolutions and contractual disputes.

Main contact: Juliet Schalker

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01727 735618