London-based law firm  Berwin Leighton Paisner has hired private-client specialist Murray North from magic circle law firm Clifford Chance to bolster its trusts and personal tax team - a group that's been growing since 2007 when the firm appointed former Clifford Chance partner Michael Wistow.

“We are one of the few City firms that has a strong personal tax team [focused] on serving wealthy individuals and those institutions that work with them," said Mr Wistow. "We are committed to enhancing the services we offer this demanding group of clients, and Murray’s recruitment will help further distinguish our tax and trusts practice from niche firms offering a much narrower range of capabilities.”

Mr North, a barrister and a solicitor, specialises in providing personal tax and trust advice to ultra-high net worth individuals and associated entities, many of whom are based overseas or in the UK as resident non-domiciles.

"Tax is a changing and complex area in which legal issues are more and more critical," said Mr North. With this in view, BLP said it wants to have the strongest legal team possible working on its clients tax and trust issues.

"BLP’s approach of working with the leading independent firms around the world - particularly in jurisdictions which have favourable tax regimes for individuals with international wealth - is very attractive to high net worth individuals," Mr North said.

BLP employs 720 lawyers in London, Abu Dhabi, Brussels, Moscow, Paris and Singapore, and has relationships with more than 100 firms around the world.