--- title: "Private Clients" id: "2045" type: "expertise" slug: "private-clients" published_at: "2026-01-26T10:06:36+00:00" modified_at: "2026-07-28T15:06:34+00:00" url: "https://www.august-debouzy.com/en/expertise/private-clients/" markdown_url: "https://www.august-debouzy.com/en/expertise/private-clients.md" excerpt: "Protecting and passing on what truly matters Business leaders, entrepreneurs, and private investors face increasingly complex wealth management challenges, shaped by international mobility, a growing variety of investment vehicles, and ever-tightening reporting obligations. Managing private and professional assets today requires..." taxonomy_language: - "English" taxonomy_post_translations: - "pll_69773cac4a41d" taxonomy_tax_expertise: - "Private Clients" taxonomy_tax_famille_expertise: - "Advisory" --- ## Protecting and passing *on what truly matters* Business leaders, entrepreneurs, and private investors face increasingly complex wealth management challenges, shaped by international mobility, a growing variety of investment vehicles, and ever-tightening reporting obligations. Managing private and professional assets today requires a comprehensive approach that brings together tax strategy, family governance, asset protection, and succession planning. We advise these clients, as well as their holding structures (holdings, trusts, family offices), in France and abroad. Our role is to anticipate risks, secure transactions, and design tailored solutions that align economic efficiency with personal values. Every situation calls for a specific strategy in which legal expertise and discretion combine to safeguard what truly matters—your reputation, your family, your commitments. Our team brings together expertise in corporate law, individual and corporate taxation, international tax, real estate, and litigation. We work closely with notaries, accountants, wealth managers, and private bankers to provide cohesive and integrated advice at every stage. ## *our* Capabilities ### (01) Asset Structuring We assist clients in designing and implementing the most appropriate structures for their goals, including the creation of civil or foreign holding companies, acquisitions of high-value assets (art collections, vintage cars), and real estate transactions involving division of ownership. Our objective is to optimize asset holding while anticipating tax and inheritance implications. We also advise on executive and management compensation schemes to balance economic performance with legal security. ### (02) Wealth Management Preparing for wealth transfer requires long-term vision and precise coordination across donations, international matrimonial strategies, trusts, fiduciary structures, and the sale of family businesses. We intervene early to design robust succession frameworks tailored to each family’s specific circumstances and cross-border constraints. Our goal is to ensure the continuity of assets and projects while maintaining family harmony and minimizing the risk of future disputes. ### (03) Succession and Estate Planning Preparing for wealth transfer requires long-term vision and precise coordination across donations, international matrimonial strategies, trusts, fiduciary structures, and the sale of family businesses. We intervene early to design robust succession frameworks tailored to each family’s specific circumstances and cross-border constraints. Our goal is to ensure the continuity of assets and projects while maintaining family harmony and minimizing the risk of future disputes. ### (04) Reputation and Protection Safeguarding reputation and privacy is a strategic priority for global executives and investors. We assist clients in protecting their image, securing their personal data (including cybersecurity and confidentiality), and preventing family or inheritance disputes. In the event of litigation, we act swiftly and discreetly to defend their interests, mitigate media exposure, and preserve the stability of their personal and professional environments. Collective excellence at the service of the *highest standards.* Team [Guillaume Aubatier ( Partner )](https://www.august-debouzy.com/en/collaborateur/guillaume-aubatier/) [Philippe Lorentz ( Partner )](https://www.august-debouzy.com/en/collaborateur/philippe-lorentz/) [Etienne Mathey ( Partner )](https://www.august-debouzy.com/en/collaborateur/etienne-mathey/) [Xavier Rohmer ( Partner )](https://www.august-debouzy.com/en/collaborateur/xavier-rohmer/) [Elie Bétard ( Counsel )](https://www.august-debouzy.com/en/collaborateur/elie-betard/) [Vincent Fromholz ( Associate )](https://www.august-debouzy.com/en/collaborateur/vincent-fromholz/) [Théo Leclercq ( Associate )](https://www.august-debouzy.com/en/collaborateur/theo-leclercq/) [Théa Meunier ( Associate )](https://www.august-debouzy.com/en/collaborateur/thea-meunier/) Précédent Suivant ## Contact Us *Rankings*& Recognitions m - (01)Décideurs 2025 – France Wealth Management - (02)Décideurs 2025 – France Wealth Management - (03)Décideurs 2025 – France Wealth Management [More distinctions](https://www.august-debouzy.com/en/distinctions/?search_tax-expertise%5B%5D=private-clients) ## *FAQ* ### (01) How can you structure and transfer family wealth in compliance with current tax rules? Transferring family wealth requires coordinating civil law, tax law and corporate law within a constantly evolving regulatory framework. Gift and inheritance taxes can reach 45% in direct line above EUR 1,805,677 (2024 scale), but legal mechanisms can significantly reduce the impact: Dutreil pacts (75% allowance on the value of transferred shares), donation-partitions, bare ownership donations and usufruct arrangements. We advise business owners, high-net-worth families and family offices on designing and implementing compliant, tax-efficient and multi-generational wealth strategies. ### (02) What legal issues govern the management of a family office and family governance? Structuring a family office and governing family assets requires choosing appropriate legal vehicles (patrimonial holding companies, SCIs, SCPIs, foundations, endowment funds, foreign trusts), organizing decision-making and anticipating conflicts between heirs. Law No. 2008-776 of 4 August 2008 recognized the fiducie (trust-like structure) in French law, allowing assets to be transferred to a fiduciary charged with managing them for a defined purpose. We structure family governance, draft family agreements and governance charters, and advise on the wealth management vehicles best suited to each family’s objectives. ### (03) How can you protect your reputation and manage a media or legal crisis at a personal level? Public figures, business leaders and high-net-worth individuals face growing reputational risks: online attacks, damaging disclosures, high-profile legal proceedings. Article 9 of the French Civil Code protects every person’s right to respect for private life, regardless of public status. We intervene quickly to protect our clients’ reputation: injunctions, right of reply requests, online content removal, defamation and privacy proceedings. We coordinate legal action with crisis communications management to contain damage. ### (04) How should you manage the legal aspects of an international situation: mobility, tax residency and cross-border assets? High-net-worth individuals with cross-border assets (expatriates, non-residents, foreign nationals based in France) face complex issues of tax residency, international tax treaties, foreign matrimonial regimes and cross-border successions. Regulation (EU) No 650/2012 (Succession Regulation), applicable since 17 August 2015, generally allows European nationals to choose the law of their nationality to govern their succession. We advise clients on optimizing their international situation, cross-border succession planning and the tax implications of mobility. ### (05) Why choose August Debouzy as your law firm for private clients? Business owners, entrepreneurs, investors, public figures, high-net-worth families and family offices entrust us with their most sensitive personal and wealth matters. Our integrated approach covers wealth structuring and transfer, family governance, reputation protection, crisis management and international wealth situations. Each matter benefits from absolute confidentiality, permanent availability and coordination between our specialists in tax, civil, criminal and international law to deliver a comprehensive response.