Kate advises domestic and international clients on personal tax, trust, estate planning and succession issues. Her clients include individuals, trustees and charities often with multi-jurisdictional assets owned via complex trust and corporate structures. She works closely with her clients and their advisors to mitigate tax and plan for the future.
Kate has particular experience advising on planning for exiting family businesses, charitable foundation formation, succession and legacy planning for artists, onshore and offshore tax planning and trust structuring, and planning for moving to or returning to the UK. Kate also frequently advises clients with charitable or valuable art interests.
Experience
Advising family shareholders on tax and estate planning in advance of the sale of the family business.
Advising on the formation and administration of charities as charitable incorporated organisations, companies limited by guarantee or trusts.
Drafting wills for testators with overseas assets.
Advising on cross-border succession planning for clients with assets, business interests and charitable interests in multiple jurisdictions.
UK tax and remittance planning for individuals moving to or returning to the UK.
Advising trustees and family members of large and diverse landed estates on trust law issues, succession planning and tax planning.
Endorsements
Kate is a STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) member, having obtained a distinction in her exams.
Kate has won awards throughout her career, including eprivateclient’s Top 35 Under 35, Tax and Estate Planning Lawyer of the Year in the Women in Law Awards, and Citywealth’s Lawyer of the Year (Senior/Managing Associate). Kate has also been named in Citywealth’s Top 100 Private Client Lawyers and in The Legal 500 as a key lawyer for Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate.
Testimonials
Kate Johnson is extraordinary. Her insight brings order to chaos, promptly recognising the practical impact of complex rules. She inspires confidence.
Legal 500, 2024
Kate Johnson has an equally keen mind, designing succession and managing global projects. She is a pitch-perfect point person among clients and multiple advisors.
Legal 500, 2023
Kate's insights
Globally Speaking
Feb 10, 2026
Understanding Zakat: obligatory charity giving in Islam
The Zakat principles Zakat is a strategic and rules-based mechanism rather than a random act of voluntary charity. It is obligatory for every Muslim who possesses the requisite net assets (Zakatable assets) to give Zakat. Zakat is due on assets
This article outlines the key principles and scenarios affecting the inheritance rights of spouses, children, and parents. Previous articles on this topic include Shari’ah, and an introduction to Islamic inheritance law and Heirs in Islamic law. Shari’a law On the
Heirs in Islamic law are divided into three principal classes which are described below. Qur’anic heirs (Ashabul-Furud) Qur’anic heirs are also called “sharers” and this is the first class of “shareholders” in relation to inherited assets. These heirs possess the
