Bentleys forms association with global private client law firm Withers

Australasian accounting and advisory network Bentleys has formed a new international association with global private client law firm Withers, which has seventeen offices in the US, Europe and Asia.

Founded in England in 1896, the prestigious law firm has a headcount of more than 1,500 professionals focused on supporting high-net-worth individuals and families on tax and estate planning, commercial transactions, and other legal matters.

While non-exclusive, the new agreement will see Bentleys collaborate with Withers to provide clients with seamless cross-border legal and financial services and advice on their businesses and personal and charitable affairs, covering Australasia, Europe, Asia and the US.

“Withers and Bentleys offer complimentary services that will be of significant benefit to our growing client base,” said Bentleys network CEO Tony Sacre. “We are committed to providing excellent service to our clients and our new relationship with Withers allows us to go that extra bit further in terms of capability and support.”

According to the two parties, the association agreement was inspired by an increase in demand for cross-border services and came about through a longstanding relationship between Sydney-based Bentleys director David Laanemaa and Marsha Laine Dungog, an international tax and estate planning partner with Withers in San Francisco.

Formed in its modern guise through a merger between Withers and US outfit Bergman, Horowitz & Reynolds, the firm has further offices in New York, Boston and Los Angeles among its American mix together with primary European and Asian locations in London, Geneva, Milan, Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong, with a combined partner count of 220-plus.

Sacre noted: “We will have access to a global network of legal experts which will facilitate our clients’ growth objectives while simultaneously delivering skill-building and niche information specifically designed to enrich our staff and broader development, enjoying all the advantages of the association while still maintaining our independent status.”

Coincidentally, Bentleys also has seventeen offices covering Australia and New Zealand, with over 80 directors and 700 staff providing tax advisory, accounting, wealth management, corporate governance, and management consulting services among other offerings. The network is presently ranked just outside the country’s top ten largest of its kind.

Bentleys said that while compliance-related work will remain a core part of its business, it will now increase and strengthen its portfolio of service offerings for the trusts and estates of ambitious clients with inbound and outbound interests, including in the areas of tax structuring, business advisory, succession planning, and wealth management strategies.

“This association is really exciting for us and for our clients around the world,” said Withers’ New York-based private client & tax division chief Jay Dinwoodie. “It unites two top-tier organisations that are focused on providing families and privately-held businesses with the best possible services and solutions for their financial and legal needs.”