A significant amount of Royds’ work is international. We regularly work for both private individuals and commercial organisations in Europe, North America, the Middle and Far East, India and South Asia and Australasia. There are specialists at Royds serving clients in global sectors as diverse as international airlines, banks and media companies.

The firm has, in particular, built up dedicated teams working on the Middle East and Indian markets and is a member of the leading international lawyer network Interleges. Further information is available at www.interleges.com or please contact John North.

 International reach

Interleges

Interleges was created in 1989 as one of the first international legal networks. It is an association of independent law firms and today has over 20 members across the world in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia. Its management committee is chaired by a lawyer from the Republic of Ireland member and comprises representatives from Lebanon, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland and England.

The 2009 Annual Conference was hosted by Royds in London. Over 40 delegates attended and there were speakers from the Corporation of London.

Middle East

Royds has forged varied and unique relationships with major players in the United Arab Emirates and has been involved in a number of initiatives in conjunction with Trench and Associates, the Interleges member firm in Dubai.

The demand for expert corporate and property advice to UAE companies with international interests and private client services to UAE resident ex pats is huge. Provision of such advice through the axis of a City of London firm and UAE based lawyers is proving a more attractive option to many UAE clients than looking to the satellite offices of UK law firms.

Royds has close links with the offshore banking industry and has provided a speaker at a number of financial/taxation seminars in Dubai and Abu Dhabi at the invitation of the offshore arm of HSBC.

Royds has worked closely with EBSM the Interleges member in Qatar and has specific expertise in working for Qatari clients with investments in London requiring assistance on joint venture property developments and the associated corporate and personal tax implications.

Please contact John North

India

Royds acts for a number of public and private sector businesses in India including the Bank of India, the Indian Ocean International Bank and the State Bank of India. We were also recently appointed to manage the UK legal portfolio – spanning commercial, employment, real estate and litigation advice - for Air India.

Please contact Stewart Wilkinson

Mauritius Royds has for many years acted for the Government of Mauritius including in relation to appeals to the Privy Council for sessions held either in London or Port Louis. As a consequence the firm has been able to establish unrivalled links with businesses and professional organizations based in Mauritius.

For further information on how we can assist clients please contact Richard Woodman.

 International work

Entering the UK market

There are a host of issues facing companies wishing to do business in the UK – whether they appoint agents or distributors, grant licences to others to promote their goods and services in the UK market, strategic alliances and joint ventures, setting up their own company and branch operations or acquiring an existing UK company. Royds has experience in all of these areas and our experienced lawyers are able to provide a wealth of experience to companies who are unfamiliar with the UK market. 

·        Joint Ventures Royds has many years’ experience advising both UK based and overseas companies entering into joint ventures governed by English law whether the business itself is to be carried on in the UK or elsewhere. For further details contact John North.  

·        Mergers and acquisitions Royds regularly advises overseas companies entering the UK market through the acquisition of a UK business or company. Further details of the services provided by our specialist team can be found on the Mergers and Acquisitions section of our website

Banking  

Full details of the services we can provide to banking clients can be found on the Banking section of our website.

Dispute Resolution and Arbitration

We have significant experience in acting for clients in major arbitration and other proceedings involving cross border issues. In particular we are used to guiding non-UK clients through the complexities of the English legal system and court process. Please contact Stewart Wilkinson for further information.

Offshore and personal tax planning for ex-pats and non-UK nationals

London is a truly international City - so many of our clients are foreign nationals living and working here or UK nationals living and working abroad. We are particularly conversant with the taxation implications for persons living in the UK but still domiciled overseas and the opportunities for straightforward and sophisticated planning. Many of our clients are the trustees or beneficiaries of offshore trusts. The head of our private client services team has significant experience of offshore trusts, having worked in a number of these jurisdictions advising offshore trusts both as in-house lawyer and as external counsel.

Conversely, we are frequently asked to advise UK domiciled clients resident abroad, or considering moving abroad, on softening or making full use of the tax effects of their emigration. While we have to advise clients to take specific local advice on tax issues in their new home country, we are nevertheless well versed in the tax systems of many overseas countries and the workings of double tax treaties.

The Family Wealth Department – comprising advice on family, private client, tax and trusts and residential conveyancing - at Royds can offer detailed advice.

      International sectors

Whilst we act for companies, Government organizations and charitable trusts in all areas of commerce and industry, Royds has particular expertise and experience in the following international market sectors:

Airlines and transport

Our work in this important sector is described in a separate section of the web site. Please contact Stewart Wilkinson for further information.

Jewellery and luxury goods

We have particular expertise in advising companies in the jewellery, watch and luxury goods market across the spectrum of commercial issues. We have also managed substantial cross-border litigation disputes in this sector. Our intellectual property team provides a specialist CopyWatch service to the British Jewellers Association. Please contact Stephen Welfare for further information.

Media and publishing

We advise a number of large overseas privately owned media and publishing companies on all commercial issues with particular support for on-line and distance selling operations. Please contact John North

Retail

Royds provides real estate, employment and commercial advise to a range of retail organizations from well known international brands to small independents as well as for the retail operations of a number of international charities. We are currently advising on the UK market entry strategy for a major European toy retailer. Please contact Robert Lloyd-Davies