Boodle Hatfield promoted Clare Pooley and Michael Duffy to partner on 1st April, doubling down on its international tax and wealth structuring practice. Both joined the firm’s Private Client & Tax team, which advises high net worth families and family offices navigating cross-border succession planning.
The dual elevation signals growing demand for complex trust arrangements and offshore structuring. Pooley has built an international practice focused on wealth preservation and governance strategies for family offices. Duffy specialises in what the firm describes as complex trust structuring and cross-border succession work.
Seven lawyers secured promotions in total.
Five associates stepped up to senior associate roles across three departments: Alex Gamble and Jessica Woollard in Private Client & Tax, Emilie Bladon and Rosie Larwood in Litigation, and Nick Salmon in Property. Gamble advises ultra-high net worth individuals and trustees on international tax planning. Woollard handles trust and estate disputes that span multiple jurisdictions.
Both litigation promotions went to lawyers with arts dispute expertise—a niche that’s proved lucrative as wealthy collectors navigate ownership battles and provenance questions. Salmon focuses on commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions and portfolio management for institutional clients.
The promotions, effective from April, come as private wealth firms compete for talent capable of handling increasingly sophisticated client demands. Family offices have proliferated over the past five years, creating pressure on boutique advisory practices to expand their cross-border capabilities.
Andrea Zavos, the firm’s senior partner, framed the moves as recognition of technical skill and client commitment. “These well-deserved promotions reflect the strength and depth of talent across the firm,” she said. “Those promoted have each demonstrated excellent judgement, technical expertise, and a strong commitment to client service. We look forward to seeing them continue to develop their careers whilst contributing to the firm’s success.”
Boodle Hatfield operates as a 49-partner firm despite its 300-year history—a deliberate constraint that distinguishes it from the sprawling Magic Circle firms. The practice splits focus between private wealth advisory and real estate work, serving owner-managed businesses alongside ultra-high net worth families in the UK and internationally.
The Private Client & Tax team now counts at least four partners following the latest promotions, though the firm declined to specify exact headcount. What’s clear is the bet on international work: both new partners built practices advising clients with assets and family members spread across jurisdictions.
That expertise has become table stakes for firms chasing wealthy families. Cross-border tax planning grew more complex after the Common Reporting Standard took effect, forcing advisers to navigate multiple tax regimes simultaneously. Families with members in London, Dubai, and Singapore—increasingly common among the firm’s client base—need lawyers fluent in offshore trusts, domicile planning, and international succession rules.
The April promotion round follows the traditional law firm calendar, when partnerships typically announce their new equity members. Boodle Hatfield’s ratio of promotions to total partners—two new partners from a 49-partner base—suggests selective expansion rather than aggressive growth.
For Pooley and Duffy, partnership marks the culmination of years navigating the associate track. For the firm, it represents a calculated investment in the private client practice that’s anchored its reputation for three centuries. Whether that’s enough to compete as family offices consolidate their adviser relationships remains the open question.
