- Simon Weil
- Partner
- Auckland
- Trusts & Asset Planning
Simon’s Trust and Asset Protection Planning practice is supported by background experience in the property, company and commercial fields developed while working in Australia, England and in New Zealand.
His depth and breadth of experience, combined with empathy and willingness to listen, places Simon in a unique position to help his clients. Despite the technical nature of his field of work, Simon brings a practical approach to what he does so that clients are better able to understand what can be complex legal arrangements.
Simon also has an international practice which involves him working with off-shore clients and intermediaries in respect of NZ Foreign Trusts.
He is a co-author of the Brookers ‘NZ Guide to Trusts’.
Experience
- Continuing trusteeship for high net worth clients.
- Advising clients in relation to the establishment of appropriate trust and related structures to hold assets to achieve business and/or personal objectives.
- Advising trustees in relation to administration and restructuring trusts and to executors of estates in relation to administration and distribution of estates.
- Advising International Trust Companies in relation to compliance with New Zealand law.
- Advising intermediaries in relation to the Zealand Foreign Trust Regime.
- Establishment of New Zealand Foreign Trusts for non-NZ resident clients.
- Providing Resident New Zealand trustee of New Zealand Foreign Trusts for non-NZ resident clients.
- Assisting clients with the division of assets and trust restructure following breakdown of personal relationships.
- Preparing Property Agreements for unrelated parties who acquire property together.
- Preparing agreements contracting out of the Property (Relationships) Act 1976.
- Advice on the impact the Family Protection Act, the Property (Relationships) Act and the Law Reform (Testamentary Promises) Act in relation to the preparation of wills and the administration of estates.
- Advising in relation the preparation of Enduring Powers of Attorney including advice to both the donor of the power and to attorneys on their responsibilities under Enduring Powers of Attorney.
- Acting as joint property manager in the management and administration of affairs for clients who have lost capacity.
- Acting as court property manager for incapacitated person in the review and remediation of trust and related affairs.
Awards
- Simon is ranked in Band 2 of the Chambers and Partners Directory. The Directory notes that Simon is "very capable, with a strong following," according to a fellow lawyer, who also says that he is a "very safe pair of hands for any matter." He advises wealthy individuals and families and fiduciaries on the creation and administration of trusts and also assists with Powers of Attorney and estate administration. An interviewee says: "He is friendly, approachable, and has a strong work ethic. He cares about the clients' goals and thinks creatively to resolve any issues."
Credentials
- LLB, Queensland Institute of Technology
- Certificate of Proficiency in Tax, University of Auckland
Admitted
- 1988 (Australia)
- 1993 (New Zealand)
Professional Associations
- Estate and Taxation Planning Council of New Zealand
- S.T.E.P. – the internationally renowned Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners based in London, England
- New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants Trusts Special Interest Group
- Member of the STEP Education committee which is preparing the course content for the STEP New Zealand Diploma for candidates seeking to be admitted as members of STEP
- Simon is a regular presenter on Trusts and related matters for the New Zealand Law Society and has also presented seminars for the Auckland District Law Society, the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants and STEP