James Ward

James leads both the Private Client Department and Private Wealth Group at Kingsley Napley. 

He provides individuals and their families in the UK and abroad with a comprehensive, efficient and discreet private wealth service.

His clients include entrepreneurs, business owners, family businesses and investors, many with international assets and family members located around the world. He advises CEOs and those in the public eye, alongside clients simply looking to safeguard their assets for the next generation or who may be dealing with difficult family dynamics.

He works with clients with complex and high value estates, those with overseas properties or international clients looking to purchase property in the UK,  and those who have recently arrived/invested in the UK or are non-UK domiciled.

His expertise includes:

• Wealth protection and tax planning
• Wills, succession planning and gifting 
• Trust establishing and management   
• Estate planning and administration
• Family businesses  
• UK tax for international clients

James works alongside a strong network of accountants and IFAs who can advise on all elements of inheritance tax, capital gains tax and wealth planning. He is also recognised in Spear's 2024 Tax & Trust Advisers Index.

James client base include:

• Complex and high value estates
• Those with international connections; whether they own overseas property or have recently arrived or invested in the UK or are long term residents who are still non-UK domiciled
• Overseas clients purchasing UK property and how such property should be owned in the most tax efficient way
• Entrepreneurs

Professional Memberships and Recognition

• Ranked in the Chambers UK and HNW and Legal 500 (where he is a 'Leading Partner') and Spears 500.
• Citywealth Leader ("Estate Planning")
• The Law Society
• The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
• Shortlisted for 'Lawyer of the Year - Tax & Trust' at 2023 Spears Awards 

press coverage

James appears frequently in the national press.  

• How to give away a home to avoid inheritance tax - The Telegraph, May 2025
• How to pass your family home onto your kids WITHOUT paying inheritance tax - Mail Online, May 2025
• The secret inheritance tax rebate you could claim (thanks Trump) - The Times, April 2025 (subscription required) 
• Reform UK leader Nigel Farage pledged to scrap IHT - Professional Adviser, March 2025 (subscription required)
• What will assisted dying law mean for inheritance planning? Lawyer JAMES WARD explains - This is Money, December 2024
• The £27m inheritance tax break that families could be missing out on - The Telegraph (subscription required) - December 2024
• How to make a watertight will: 10 tips to getting your last wishes fulfilled - and error to avoid - This Is Money, December 2024
• Pensioners rush to rewrite wills to escape Labour's inheritance tax - The Telegraph, November 2024
• Inheritance tax reforms to hit business owners and farmers - Financial Times, October 2024
• The £60k inheritance tax loophole that could be scrapped in the Budget - The Telegraph, October 2024 (subscription required)
• Thousands of grieving families win inheritance tax refunds - The Telegraph, September 2024 (subscription required)
• Hundreds of families caught by seven-year inheritance tax rule as gifts trigger unexpected bills - Business Matters, August 2024
• Hundreds of families fall foul of seven-year inheritance tax rule - The Telegraph, August 2024 (subscription required)
• Inheritance tax lawyers on the big mistakes and how to dodge them - The Times, August 2024
• Former Cyprus embassy sells for £25 million - with a little help from CGI - The Standard, March 2024
• Abolition of non-dom rules.. non-dom, non grata? Accountancy Daily, March 2024
• Business news 8 March 2024 - The Credit Protection Association, March 2024
• Abolishment of the non-domicile rules - non-dom, non grata? The America, March 2024
• Will the Budget leave you better off? Financial Times, March 2024
• Non-doms plot exodus in wake of Budget crackdown - The Telegraph, March 2024 (subscription required)
• First reaction to non-dom changes in Budget - The American, March 2024
• Industry reacts as UK non-dom regime is scrapped in favour of New Zealand-style TR model - Investment International, March 2024
• Bold change to non-dom rules - the industry reacts to Hunt's Budget change of mind - IFA Magazine, March 2024
• First reaction to Non-Dom changes in Budget - The American, March 2024
• Labour risks pushing the wealthy out if it wins the election - The Credit Protection Association, January 2024
• The four groups with most to fear from a Labour victory - The Telegraph, January 2024 (subscription required)
• Preparing for cyber-attacks and data protection - The Telegraph, November 2023 (subscription required)
• How to get your affairs in order - or risk leaving your children in financial mess - The Telegraph, October 2023 (subscription required)
• Pass on unlimited wealth to your loved TAX FREE - This is Money, October 2023
• Reforming Inheritance Tax - Kingsley Napley comment on IFS report - IFA Magazine, September 2023
• Kingsley Napley's James Ward discusses rumours of Govt plans for big shakeup to IHT - IFA Magazine, September 2023
• What's next for NFTs? Spears, July 2023
• Is the abolition of IHT really a good idea? IFA Magazine, June 2023
• Abolishing inheritance tax just a dream, savers told: Planning should remain a priority households are warned, This is Money, October 2022
• Inheritance tax reform may be ‘in sights’ of Jeremy Hunt who could 'tamper' with 40% rate, Express, October 2022
• Kensington residents pay average £1m inheritance tax, Accountancy Daily, October 2022
• Is IHT reform now on the cards? - Legal Comment, IFA Magazine, October 2022
• ‘Inheritance Tax Premier League’: is reform on the cards?, Solicitors Journal, October 2022
• Kingsley Napley: What Succession tells us about protecting your assets - Spear's, August 2022 
• The tax consequences of separation - Today's Family Lawyer, 23 March 2021
• Death tax to catch thousands more in £1bn pandemic raid - The Sunday Telegraph, 7 March 2021
• How do I stop my children's spouses gaining from my estate if they get divorced after my death?, This is Money, 18 July 2019
• Inheritance tax: Government advised to reduce seven-year gifting rule to five years, Accountancy Age, 11 July 2019
• Inheritance tax: what does the future hold?, Financial Times, 11 July 2019
• Call for radical overhaul of inheritance tax and lifetime gifting, Accountancy Daily, 5 July 2019
• IHT review proposes simplifying tax gift rules, Money Marketing, 5 July 2019
• New 'stealth death tax' brought in without parliamentary scrutiny, The Telegraph, 14 November 2018
• Why HNWs should be worried about the probate fee hike, Spear's Magazine, 13 November 2018
• Probate fee rises are a stealth tax on the bereaved, critics claim, The Times, 7 November 2018
• Rise of 'digital inheritance' as YouGov poll shows quarter of people plan to hand social media to loved ones, The Telegraph, 6 November 2018
• Britons to be hit with new death tax: Probate fees to soar up to £6000 to access will, The Express, 6 November 2018
• Probate fees to rise to £6k for largest estates, Accountancy Daily, 6 November 2018
• Digital assets a 'cocktail of complication' for estates, International Adviser, 20 September 2018

What clients and directories say

James Ward consistently delivers and has a good awareness of how to work with other professional service providers."

Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide 2025

James comes up with phenomenal ideas and insight. He is good with clients, has a really good understanding of where they want. He also keeps me on track and is just an absolute pleasure to work with."

Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide 2025

James Ward is technically knowledgeable and a first-class private client adviser."

Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide 2025

I have worked very closely with James Ward and Sophie Voelcker for many years. Both have great technical knowledge and deliver sensible generational planning solutions to a wide range of clients."

The Legal 500 2025

James Ward is a highly impressive lawyer, with a level of technical knowledge that immediately puts the client at ease, giving them the confidence that they are in good hands."

Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide 2024

James is first-rate and a class act, but matches this with humility and excellent communication."

Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide 2024

James is excellent, a direct talker who gets to the subject matter quickly and is able to ask the difficult questions that really help the advice being given."

Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide 2024

James Ward – epitomises everything that a private client lawyer should be to their client and that a client should expect of their trusted advisor."

The Legal 500, 2024

"James is highly respected by his clients and peers, and exceptional in his field of knowledge, client service, and leadership of the private client team."

Chambers HNW 2023

"James is an excellent, practical and knowledgeable solicitor."

Chambers HNW 2023

"James has a very broad and extensive skill set, and has a very pragmatic approach that is appreciated by clients."

Chambers HNW 2023

"James is very knowledgeable and very experienced, and he's good at using his experience to identify the main issues a client needs to consider," an interviewee he's also very commercial in his approach, as he considers the client's broader requirements to ensure that his advice is appropriate, rather than focusing on answering the specific question posed to him."

Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2021

James Ward is noted for his professionalism, knowledge and friendly manner."

Legal 500 2017