Harneys

Family offices structuring wealth across multiple generations face a specific problem when using offshore jurisdictions: the legal landscape in BVI, Cayman Islands, and similar territories is specialised enough that generalist counsel cannot reliably navigate it. Harneys is a global offshore law firm whose Private Wealth practice focuses exclusively on these jurisdictions, advising clients on trust establishment, estate planning, asset protection, and succession planning under BVI and Cayman Islands law.

The firm’s Private Wealth team covers a technically detailed range of trust structures relevant to family office principals:

• VISTA trusts (BVI) and STAR trusts (Cayman Islands) for holding company shares and purpose-specific structures
• Reserved power trusts allowing settlors to retain control over investment directions, beneficiary classes, and trustee appointments
• Private Trust Companies (PTCs) as trustees, offering families a proprietary governance vehicle
• Non-charitable purpose trusts and cross-border succession planning
• Beneficial ownership compliance under BVI and Cayman Islands regulatory regimes

The firm also maintains a fiduciary services affiliate, Harneys Fiduciary, which operates independently across offshore and onshore locations and can provide corporate, trust, and fiduciary administration alongside the legal practice. Lawyers are based across London, Singapore, and Hong Kong, which matters for families with assets or residency ties across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is likely engagement-specific. Families seeking a single firm to cover both legal structuring and day-to-day trust administration will need to assess how the Harneys legal practice and Harneys Fiduciary interact in practice before committing.