Gregory Walsh is a US-qualified lawyer and Founding Partner of the firm’s new Swiss office, with a practice focus in the areas of International Tax and Global Wealth Management. He advises private wealth clients including individuals, families and family offices on international tax planning and related matters. He also counsels financial institutions on a range of international tax and wealth management issues. He has substantial experience in assisting clients navigating global tax initiatives and their effect on wealth management and financial services.
Greg counsels private clients and financial institutions on trust and company structures, cross-border investments and relocation, FATCA/CRS (AEOI) compliance, US withholding tax and QI compliance, OECD tax initiatives, tax treaty matters, individual and corporate tax planning, funds, financial institution tax compliance and tax regularisation matters. He also advises clients on diverse corporate law and regulatory issues in wealth management and financial services, including the US regulation of investment advisers.
Relevant experience:
- Developing pre-immigration (to US and to European jurisdictions) planning and structuring of trusts and privately held company structures, including planning with insurance
- Advising private clients on diverse US and international tax issues, including tax residence issues, treatment of cross-border income, application of income tax treaties, and estate & gift tax treaties
- Reviewing US trust planning and tax consequences for non-US trust and company structures
- Counselling families with US, European, and other connections on cross-border estate planning
- Advising financial institutions (banks, insurance companies, asset managers, fund companies, fiduciaries, trustees), family offices and international foundations with underlying investment vehicles on AEOI, FATCA and Qualified Intermediary compliance, including development of policies and procedures
- Counselling family wealth and financial institution clients on impact of cross-border tax initiatives, including AEOI, economic substance requirements, beneficial ownership registries, hybrid entities and income, controlled foreign corporation and other anti-deferral regimes, prevention of tax treaty abuse, permanent establishment issues, and mandatory disclosure rules
- Advising private clients including family offices, foundations, private companies, trustees and others on US withholding tax matters, including forms, reporting, and planning for income tax treaty benefits
- Creating new and restructure existing family wealth planning structures including trusts, private company structures, planning with insurance, and governance matters
- Advising fund clients on tax, regulatory and related issues for entry into US market via non-US based SEC registered investment advisers or via US-based affiliates
- Counselling clients on cross-border pension planning and dual-compliant annuity products
- Counselling private clients on cross-border treatment of pension plans and employee compensation, including incentive stock options
