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Dennis Phillips

London, United Kingdom

16 Testimonials
0 Case studies
1 Articles

Summary

Practice Areas:

  • Spanish Law
Buckles LLP

Bilingual Spanish speaking English qualified lawyer. I am one of a very small handful of English trained Solicitors with an established specialism in foreign inheritance and property-related matters. As well as acting for the lucky few who remain able to purchase and sell overseas property, more of my time these days is spent advising families and their professional advisers from all over the UK on:

  • the tax efficient administration of foreign assets post death; and
  • the tax efficient transfer of foreign property triggered by life events such as family breakdown, financial difficulty, the need to enforce UK Court orders abroad as well as buy-outs and gifts between co-owners and family members

I also give realistic assessments on the costs, timescales and chances of success with pursuing and defending foreign claims when overseas property purchases have gone wrong and often work in alliance with local lawyers to take action in UK and foreign Courts and negotiate settlements. I’m regularly asked to bridge gaps on matters where foreign professionals have already been appointed, typically to:

  • certify important differences between English and foreign law
  • deal quickly with Powers of Attorney; and
  • trouble shoot issues arising from language barriers and cultural differences

A large part of my work involves Spain, and I also have experience dealing with Cape Verde, the Caribbean, Croatia, Germany, Turkey and Morocco. If I can’t help you or your clients in these countries or anywhere else in the world, I can usually put you in touch with someone who can.

I have recently joined Buckles and we are now one of the largest international teams in the country. 

Our understanding of both foreign and English law and the way they interact means we can solve problems and spot tax saving opportunities more quickly and easily than most foreign lawyers in their own countries.

As a regulated firm of UK Solicitors our expertise is underpinned with:

  • clear explanations and opinions
  • up front information on costs and timescales
  • regular progress reports; and
  • insurance backed compensation if we ever made a professional mistake

Previous Employment

Nelsons Solicitors Limited2015 - 2016

Associate Solicitor

Mayo Wynne Baxter LLP2012 - 2015

Solicitor

Seadragon2011 - 2012

Business Development and Operations Director

The International Law Centre Incorporating Phillips International Lawyers2009 - 2011

International Business Development

Phillips International Lawyers2007 - 2009

Principal

John Howell & Co2002 - 2006

Solicitor & Head of Emerging Markets

Downs Solicitors & Notaries2000 - 2002

Trainee Solicitor

Gissings1998 - 1999

Research Analyst

Experience

Education

BPP Law School

Other

1999 - 2000

Diploma in Law

Chartered Institute of Insurers

Other

1998 - 1999

Financial Planning Certificate 1

The University of Kent

University

1994 - 1998

Law & Spanish Law

Universidad de Deusto

University

1996 - 1997

Spanish Law

St Joseph's College, Birkfield, Ipswich

College

1987 - 1994

Testimonials

Mrs G Hetherington, Workington, Cumbria

"Thank you for doing everything involved with transferring my late mother’s Spanish property to me and dealing so quickly with the subsequent sale My family’s English solicitor and I certainly couldn’t have managed it without your support. The advice we received from the Spanish lawyers we first contacted was confusing. The communication difficulties prompted us to seek your specialist advice and you simplified things straight away. I would have no hesitation in recommending you to friends and family with overseas property."

Craig Hollingdrake, Managing Director, JWK Solicitors, Lancaster

"I instructed Dennis for an opinion on some Spanish law and procedure relating to a dispute I was resolving on behalf of my clients in the Liverpool County Court. Having instructed Dennis at short notice, he was able to come back to me with quick, clear and cost-effective advice."

Christopher Langdon, Past President of the Notaries Society of England and Wales

"What a splendid Spanish Power of Attorney document - the best I have seen in well over 40 years."

Adrian and Carole Rayner, Oxfordshire

"We hired Dennis to assist us with the legalities on our Croatian property purchase. Dennis helped us navigate some tricky legal issues that were thrown at us, and we completed the deal safely. Dennis’s familiarity with the local law, understanding of local commercial practices and culture was invaluable and his personable hands on approach made dealing with the process enjoyable."

Mr & Mrs B, Lincolnshire

"We were asked by our fiscal representative in Spain to arrange an urgent Spanish Power of Attorney, and we approached Buckles for help. Overall, a very good service which meant we were able to complete our sale on time. Mr Phillips was very polite, and the Notary he picked to witness our signatures was very good too."

Mr & Mrs B, Lincolnshire

 

Mrs April Goode, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire

"Dennis advised me on a contentious matter involving the English and Spanish law relating to my late husband’s Spanish estate. The whole process felt very personal and I’d thoroughly recommend him. Very reliable. Very honest. Very good at his job."

Janet Tregidgo, Coggeshall, Essex

"Dennis sorted out my Spanish Power of Attorney really quickly and made the process so easy. He was very down to earth and easy to talk to. 11 out of 10 for service! Dennis and Buckles can expect more business from me in the future."

Mrs Ann Large, Liverpool

"Buckles came highly recommended by our local solicitors and Dennis arranged some pre-sale searches on our property in Spain and prepared a Spanish Power of Attorney to allow me to represent my husband.

The local Notary who witnessed the documentation near our home was most impressed. Dennis had sent him a letter with very precise instructions. The Notary said that he usually receives something more like a piece of scrap paper and nobody really knows what they've got to do!

Dennis made the whole experience such smooth sailing."

Mark Streeter, Haywards Heath, West Sussex

"Dear Dennis I wish to thank you so much for all your help in clarifying and resolving our real estate issue with the Spanish authorities. I very much appreciated your prompt and efficient handling of the matter."

Mr and Mrs Pinchin, Surrey

"Dear Dennis A big thank you to you and your team for your success in fighting our corner in the Spanish courts and recovering our costs. From now on, we will always be advising friends and family to save themselves unnecessary worry by taking your advice before they sign any foreign documentation."

Mr Parkin, London

"The report on my Croatian investment purchase is excellent and provides a good review of the issues which I need to be aware of."

Mr and Mrs S, Isle of Man

"We found your legal report on our purchase in Morocco to be both informative and easy to understand."

Mrs Pauline Grosvenor, Wolverhampton, West Midlands

"Dennis came highly recommended by my local family solicitor and helped ensure my interests were protected when I transferred my share in a Spanish property to my ex-husband. He gave us very practical advice and we received an excellent service."

Graham & Barbara Reynolds, Pentre Halkyn, Flintshire, North Wales

"Thank you very much Dennis for being so prompt and efficient with the preparation of our Spanish Power of Attorney and getting to the bottom of our insurance problems. Most other solicitors we have dealt with take ages to do anything, but you have been really good with us."

Mrs K Buckingham, Mickleover, Derbyshire

"You were a stable and reliable contact during a very hard and stressful time. My thanks are extremely heartfelt. I don’t know how I would have sorted things out without you. My local Spanish lawyer just couldn’t deal with the problem. They didn’t have a clue and things got lost in a sea of translation.

You always got back to me really promptly and out of office hours. Quite remarkable really.

You are extremely professional, friendly and knowledgeable. I sing your praises to everyone and will be keeping your name in my diary."

Keith and Margaret Hopkinson, Wellow, Nottinghamshire

"I feel it would be extremely remiss of me not to express our sincere thanks for all the professional guidance and expertise you have afforded us, in guiding Keith and I through what has been a long and complex exercise. We are certain that without your assistance it would have proved to be an impossible task, our only regret is that we were not introduced to you much earlier. Nevertheless, you have helped us reach our objective which has relieved us from a great deal of stress.

We would have no hesitation in recommending yourself and your firm to anyone wishing to buy or sell a property abroad.

We feel we can now sit back and pop a cork or two and carry on with life."

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Achievements

Awards

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Associations & Memberships

Spanish Chamber of Commerce - since 2016

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