Miriam Spero Head of Private Client Department

Miriam qualified in 2008 at a dedicated private client law firm and joined Branch Austin McCormick in 2021.

+44 (0) 20 7851 0100

ms@branchaustinmccormick.com

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Miriam specialises in:

  • drafting wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs), deeds of variation and trusts
  • advising on bereavement and applying for probate and letters of administration
  • tax planning including advising on gifting, setting up trusts and deeds of variation
  • applications to the Court of Protection
  • advising multiple generations of families to ensure family members are protected and wealth ringfenced
  • working with our corporate team to advise business owners on protecting themselves and their businesses if they were to lose capacity or die.

Miriam prides herself in supporting her clients at vulnerable times, bringing humour and warmth to her client interactions, and she firmly believes her clients must fully understand their jargon free documents.

Miriam has a wide range of clients from all backgrounds, which leads to a breadth of experience and knowledge. Given the nature of her work, Miriam knows her connection with her client does not end when the matter is finished and she enjoys establishing long terms relationships over a coffee.

Miriam is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, Solicitors for the Elderly and the Law Society Private Client Section and she holds a STEP Advance Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients. She is the co-author of the Routledge published Succession, Wills and Probate.

Out of the office, Miriam is an avid theatregoer and is a member of the British Museum, V&A and National Gallery. She attends a whisky club and keeps bees and when her lemon tree is ready, she will be making hot toddies with her own honey, lemon and whisky.

Expertise

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  • Career Highlights

    Her past work includes:

    • Drafting complex wills for high-net-worth clients including for a vulnerable person with a £40 million estate
    • Drafting life assurance policy trusts and a complex will for a millionaire client who had been married a multiple of times resulting in a number of offspring
    • Applying for probate on high value estates (including an £18m estate with properties in which we advised on a deed of variation to leave 10% to charity to obtain the 36% inheritance tax rate)
    • Attending a hospital to revoke lasting powers of attorney of someone being financially abused and drafting fresh LPAs, a new will, and later applying for probate on his small estate.
    • Emotionally supporting a son in bringing his confused father home to the UK from abroad and holding a number of Zoom calls with them both until the parent recovered sufficient capacity to make LPAs.
  • Accreditations

    • Full member of Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
    • Member of the Law Society Private Client Section
    • STEP advance certificate in advising vulnerable people
    • London regional director of Association of Lifetime Lawyers
    • Member of Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly Solicitors for the Elderly)

           

Children and Family Lawyers | London Mayfair | Branch Austin McCormick Saika Alam