The Private Client Conference at Scots Law 2026

Murrayfield Stadium is the venue for the next event in our Scots Law Conference Series, exclusively available to delegates in person on the day.

Chaired by Martin Campbell of Anderson Strathern, our new Private Client Conference will cover topics ranging from IHT rules for pensions and trust compliance to the international aspects of executry practice and tax and succession planning for second and subsequent relationships.

Martin will be joined on the speaking panel by Lorna Christine from Blackadders, Annie Pearson of Wright, Johnston and Mackenzie, Gordon Parsons-Wallace from RBC Brewin Dolphin, Simon Barber of Title Research, Nick Dobbs from Anderson Strathern and Kevin Winters of Brodies.

This event is sponsored by Title Research

What's being covered?

Beyond the Will: the older client roadmap

With longer life expectancy and increased incidence of dementia and cognitive decline on the rise, later-life planning is much wider than simply drafting a will.  In this session, Lorna will look at taking instructions from older and vulnerable clients, powers of attorney, living wills and future care planning as well as gifting, deeds of variation and use of reliefs such as normal expenditure out of income and quick succession relief.

Lorna Christine, Blackadders

Trust compliance – navigating the acronyms

Trust compliance work seems to be getting ever more complex with overlapping regimes creating additional administrative burdens for trustees and their advisors.  This session aims to provide a clear overview of what you and your trustee clients need to do to remain compliant and practical advice on how to do it.  The session will cover the Trust Registration Service, the Central Register of Beneficial Interests in Trusts, Automatic Exchange of Information, the Register of Controlling Interests in Land, Mandatory Tax Adviser Registration and the upcoming Law Society of Scotland Central Trusts Record.

Annie Pearson, Wright, Johnston and Mackenzie

Second and subsequent relationships – tax and succession planning

Martin’s presentation will cover tax, succession and asset protection planning for those advising clients entering into second and subsequent relationships. This will include lifetime planning options including gifts to family members and the use of family trusts, the tax implications of divorce and death when advising clients in subsequent relationships and later life and will planning to protect and provide for first and second families.

Martin Campbell, Anderson Strathern

Life, death and the UK: Advising international clients on succession and estate planning

From lifetime planning to death and succession, international clients often present legal issues that do not fit neatly within a single jurisdiction. This session will provide a practical guide to identifying and managing cross-border private client issues including domicile, residence, forced heirship and internationally held assets.

Kevin Winters, Brodies

The executry of Jane Thompson

A case study of an intestate executry highlighting the challenges encountered by a complicated family structure and how genealogy helped to bring the executry to a conclusion, protecting the executor, the solicitor and the beneficiaries.

Simon Barber, Title Research

Investments and product solutions to mitigate inheritance and pension taxation

What investment products are available to help clients manage their IHT position, and how might these solutions influence your advice? This session will explore both established and more innovative investment products available to clients, considering how they can be used as part of an effective IHT planning strategy. Through a series of practical case studies, we’ll provide insight into the key features, benefits and considerations of different approaches, and how they can be incorporated into your advice.

Gordon Parsons-Wallace, RBC Brewin Dolphin

Pensions and IHT – the forthcoming changes

From 6 April 2027, most individuals’ pensions will fall within the scope of IHT.  This session will provide a review of the new rules implemented under the Finance Act 2026 including what is and is not brought into charge; the impact on existing clients’ succession and tax planning arrangements; and the administrative process for executors in terms of reporting and paying IHT on pension assets following death. It will also consider planning options available to clients and advisers, together with the key areas of uncertainty and practical difficulty that are likely to arise.

Nick Dobbs, Anderson Strathern