Private investors are also seeking to capitalise on digital opportunities. Today, holding cryptocurrencies on a blockchain is becoming as commonplace as having cash in the bank. But digital transformation isn’t just about tech: there are legal implications to consider. These tend to be multi-faceted, cutting across compliance, data privacy, cyber security, employment, tax, antitrust, estate planning and other legal areas. And the rules can change quickly as the digital landscape evolves.
A team dedicated to everything digital
Integrated and dynamic, our Digital offer is a single team of legal professionals from a wide range of disciplines, all of whom combine in-depth knowledge of traditional areas of law with a comprehensive understanding of digital services, their opportunities and their legal implications. Our expertise spans all of our practice areas including intellectual property, compliance, IT, data privacy, commercial, corporate and employment. Our Digital service is designed to break down traditional law firm practice area boundaries to give you holistic, joined-up legal advice.
Services for private individuals
All of us have at least part of our lives online and in digital assets such as emails, social media profiles, cryptocurrency and online bank accounts, to name just a few. The law recognises that digital assets can be owned. However, there is no consistency between assets and you may find that some of your most valuable assets are mere licences to use a third-party provider’s service. This has significant consequences when attempting to access, manage and transfer digital assets after death.
We represent wealthy individuals who are looking for comprehensive advice regarding their digital assets, investments and reputations, with a particular focus on what will happen to these assets when they die.
With ever-growing increase of our ‘digital’ footprint, the legal and taxation treatment of digital assets is also becoming increasingly unknown. Collyer Bristow’s Tax and Estate Planning team have long been following this trend and have industry leading expertise. The team can provide estate planning advice for online (banking and trading) accounts, email accounts, online profiles (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram) photos stored in the cloud etc. to ensure smooth transition. Succession and tax planning in regard to financial investments such as Crypto, NFTs. Assisting the emerging wealth client who have made their wealth via an online presence, ensuring appropriate legal structuring (wills/LPAs/Trusts) measures are in place in case of incapacity or death.