Languages - English, Mandarin, Cantonese
Jurisdictions - England & Wales, Hong Kong (pending admission)
Ethan is a private client solicitor qualified in England & Wales, specialising in advising HNW and UNHW families, entrepreneurs, family offices, private banks, and trustees across the APAC region. Fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, he works closely with UHNW families and their intermediaries to navigate the complexities of cross-border wealth, bringing both cultural fluency and deep legal expertise to every client relationship.
Having trained and practised at leading private client firms in both London and Hong Kong, Ethan advises on a broad range of private client matters, including UK taxation, trust structuring, asset protection, wills, and estate and succession planning. He has developed a particular specialism in the legal issues surrounding digital assets, having spearheaded dedicated special interest groups at previous firms and contributed articles to industry publications including Private Client Business and the STEP Journal.
Ethan’s work is driven by a commitment to helping wealthy families and their advisers protect and preserve what matters most across generations and jurisdictions. His expertise has been recognised across the industry: he was named a winner of the Wealth Briefing Asia Greater China Rising Star Under 30 award in 2024, and has been a finalist at the STEP Private Client Awards in the Rising Star of the Year (2024) and Young Practitioner of the Year categories (2023), as well as being named in Citywealth's Top 40 Under 40 (IFC) in 2023.
UK Relocation Advice for Hong Kong Billionaire
Advised a Hong Kong-based billionaire on all aspects of his UK relocation, including personal tax planning under the remittance basis and new FIG regime, restructuring of his bankable assets portfolio, family office, and a UK commercial property holding structure valued at approximately £200 million, together with trust restructuring, estate planning, and asset protection advice.
Ongoing UK Tax & Estate Planning for Billionaire Client
Advised a formerly UK-domiciled Hong Kong-resident billionaire, providing ongoing UK tax, trust, estate planning, and asset protection advice.
Family Office Restructuring Across Borders
Advised a Hong Kong-resident billionaire and his family office on cross-border tax issues arising from the relocation of the family office's CEO to Europe, including the restructuring of the family office and its underlying asset holding structure.
UK Tax Advice for Hong Kong Fund Manager
Advised a Hong Kong-resident fund manager on his UK personal tax position, including analysis of the exceptional circumstances provisions under the Statutory Residence Test, together with follow-up disclosure work with HMRC.
Trust Restructuring for Hong Kong Family Office
Advised a Hong Kong-based family office on the restructuring of three separate trusts for succession planning and asset protection purposes.
UK Crypto Tax, Trust & Incentive Scheme Advice
Advised a UK-resident entrepreneur on the disclosure of UK tax liabilities arising from income and gains on cryptoassets, the establishment of a trust to ringfence cryptoassets for estate planning purposes, and the design and issuance of an employment-related cryptoasset incentive scheme for his business.
Pre-Arrival UK Planning for HNW Relocators
Provided pre-arrival UK tax and structuring planning for HNW and UHNW clients based in Hong Kong ahead of their relocation to the United Kingdom.
Wills, LPAs & Estate Planning Documents
Drafted a range of personal legal documents for individual clients, including wills, letters of wishes, Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs), and Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs).
