Family Investment Companies

Setting up family investment companies requires a specialist cross-disciplinary legal team with extensive private client and corporate expertise to ensure the right structures are put in place. Our team will work with you and your tax advisers to ensure the company is created to effectively protect and manage your wealth for the next generation.

Meet the team

Introduction to family investment companies

A family investment company can be a tax-efficient and practical way to manage the succession of your assets. You should think of it as a long-term estate planning strategy – at least seven years for inheritance tax purposes but more likely 15 to 20 years.

As the name suggests, a family investment company involves setting up a company and funding that company, either by loans or subscribing for shares (and often a mixture of both). Often as the founder of the company, you will remain as a director, controlling the day to day management of the company. You create different classes of shares and can allocate these to different family members or family trusts. Each share class can have different rights and the shareholders can benefit in different ways, allowing you to tailor your approach to suit your family. Bespoke articles of association and shareholders’ agreements can provide further asset protection and control as required.

What we do

We will start by establishing the fundamentals of your situation to confirm that a family investment company is the right route for you to take. If suitable, we will tailor the corporate structure and funding arrangements to suit your needs and objectives.

Your matter will be principally handled by our private client team and you will have a single point of contact throughout. However, a family investment company also requires the input of corporate legal experts and we will draw on the services of our corporate team as required. We will also liaise closely with your accountant or financial advisor, who in many cases will have been the person who referred you to us.

Once the family investment company has been established, we will stay in regular contact and advise you if there are any changes in the legal or tax landscape that could affect the purpose of your arrangements.

Solicitor talking to two clients sitting opposite to him on a table

Our clients

A family investment company is often suitable for those with a history of running companies, whose priorities are to retain control over the use of the company assets but pass on wealth to the next generation. They can be very effect if you have children or grandchildren who are not yet ready to manage significant wealth themselves, but who you would like to be able to benefit and who may become more involved in the running of the company in the future.

A guide to family investment companies

Services from our Private Client team

Our Private Wealth sector

Clients who have built a significant assets base may face a complex legal and tax landscape. Our experts, who cover a range of legal disciplines, are on hand to provide specialist legal guidance and support to help individuals, their families, trustees and family offices.

Services from our Private Wealth team
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Recognition of our work

Cambridge Law Society Private Client Services Team of the Year

Cambridge Law Society Private Client Services Team of the Year
Investors in People

Investors in People

The Times – Best Law Firms 2024 (Private Client)

The Times – Best Law Firms 2024 (Private Client)

Hear what our clients say about us

Excellent, polite, professional and personable service throughout and very reassuring throughout process.

Client testimonial Residential conveyancing

Have had great experience of this Law firm over the years. Their conveyancing department is one of the best in Cambridge.

Client testimonial Residential conveyancing

I truly appreciate your attention to detail and your guidance during what could have been a much more complicated process. Thanks to your efforts, we were able to get everything done smoothly, and I’m very grateful for your help.

Client testimonial Residential conveyancing

Our solicitor was very approachable and knowledgeable, and understood quickly the particular issues concerning this purchase. They kept us informed at all stages and it all worked smoothly, thanks to their actions

Client testimonial House purchase

I am extremely appreciative of the outstanding legal representation provided by Claire. Her expertise in handling my professional negligence matter was evident throughout the entire process. Not only was she highly professional and knowledgeable, but she was also very kind and understanding. She skilfully navigated the complexities of the case, always keeping me informed and addressing my concerns.

Client testimonial Professional negligence

Elizabeth Beatty is a very experienced, very well-rounded lawyer. She is a great strategist and gives straightforward and realistic advice.

Client testimonial Legal 500 2025

Neither our sale nor our purchase was straightforward and Samantha was fantastic throughout. Calm, efficient, intelligent and yet somehow she kept a sense of humour that was entirely appropriate and at times necessary for our sanity! I would not hesitate to recommend the team at HCR Hewitsons.

Client testimonial Sale and Purchase

I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for all the hard work and support throughout the process of purchasing the flat. I know there were some stressful moments along the way, but your professionalism and dedication helped us navigate through and successfully complete the transaction.

Client testimonial Flat purchase

I truly appreciate your attention to detail and your guidance during what could have been a much more complicated process. Thanks to your efforts, we were able to get everything done smoothly, and I’m very grateful for your help.

Client testimonial Residential property

There are lots of things I didn’t get to do during the five years or so that this was going on. I want to catch up on those and make a plan for the future. Adam Finch and the team were wonderful. I would definitely recommend HCR Law.

Alan Rees Shareholder dispute

We worked with Claire Holford on a complicated family company dispute where, at times, emotions ran high. Claire took the time to understand our needs and worked closely and diligently with us, and a suitable settlement was reached.

Client testimonial Shareholder dispute

You must take the most credit of our legal team for your incredible grasp of a complex matter with volumes of documentation which you had clearly read and understood.

Your preparation of our case for the Mediation was faultless and impressive. Undoubtedly our shared resolve helped us carve a strong strategy.

It takes a lot of courage to ‘maintain course’ in the face of what we endured , and their is little doubt in my mind that your support and guidance helped us achieve the best possible result for which I am extremely grateful.

Client testimonial SaaS property management company

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