JMW, the full-service law firm with offices in Manchester, London and Liverpool, has launched a specialist service, JMW Signature, aimed at ultra-high net worth (UHNW) clients and family offices.
The move responds to a market gap identified by the firm and an increase in clients seeking bespoke strategies to protect private wealth. Family law partner Ruben Sinha will lead the new team, focusing on both private and business matters. JMW Signature will integrate with the firm’s existing teams in tax and succession planning, trusts and foundations, corporate structures, real estate, and family law.
Signature is structured around four key areas: real estate, corporate, private wealth, and family. Sinha told Insider: “We spotted there’s a bit of a gap in the market. Very few of the law firms have that. Different teams are working in silos. It’s not very joined up.”
The team will collaborate closely with handpicked accountants, private banks, trustees, and client service providers to deliver the tailored expertise required by family offices and international families facing complex issues. Thomas Pearson, a partner in JMW’s Real Estate Commercial team, said the initiative complements existing wealth management services. “The ethos of Signature is to work alongside, let’s call it, a little black book or a group of key contacts,” he said. “We’ve already had soft launches…with wealth managers, banks, financial advisers, and accountants. It’s been well received.”
Ruben Sinha, who joined JMW in 2022 after working in top-ranked family teams in London and Hong Kong, has acted for UHNW families with assets ranging from £100m to over £1bn. He explained the scope of clients Signature will serve: “There’s no specific industry focus. We’re talking about ultra high net worth families. If you were going to put a figure on it, you’d say at least £20m…up to hundreds of millions and even billions.”
The service will cater to both domestic clients and those with international connections, often involving offshore structures in jurisdictions such as the Crown Dependencies. Signature will advise on real estate, corporate structures, private wealth management, and family law, integrating with these offshore and domestic arrangements.
Sinha highlighted the rationale for the launch: “We have seen a substantial increase in instructions from UHNW and family office clients seeking carefully crafted strategies designed to protect their private wealth. In addition, Signature’s corporate and real estate experts are advising these clients on transformational business structures, including acquisitions, reorganisations, or exits.”
JMW’s head of business development, Stuart Cartwright, noted that the firm’s full-service model allows it to deliver expert advice across multiple sectors in a seamless fashion, providing an advantage over competitors. Sinha added that Signature clients would have a dedicated partner familiar with their needs, serving as the first point of contact for all services within the firm.
