Family office
Family office legal services in Luxembourg
The firm structures and coordinates the legal side of your family office in Luxembourg: wealth holding company, SPF, succession, family governance and the organised transfer of wealth.
Legal content reviewed by Maître Cora Maglo, Avocate à la Cour, Liste I du Barreau de Luxembourg depuis 2009.
A substantial family estate is protected by a coherent architecture: combining a holding company, a wealth vehicle (SPF), family governance and succession planning secures the transfer across several generations.
Cerno Law Firm designs and coordinates the legal framework of your family office, aligning ownership, governance, tax and succession in the service of directors and high-net-worth families (HNWIs).
The need
As a director or family with a substantial estate, you want to organise the ownership, governance and transfer of your wealth durably and coherently.
An estate scattered across several structures, with no governance or succession strategy, creates risks of deadlock and dispersion.
The risk
Family conflicts, forced joint ownership, poorly anticipated transfer taxation, absent governance, dispersion of the estate among heirs.
Without an overall legal framework, the transfer becomes a source of disputes and erosion of the family estate.
How the firm acts
Design of the wealth architecture (holding company, SPF), drafting of family governance agreements and charters, succession planning and legal coordination of the family's advisers.
Cerno is a law firm admitted to the Luxembourg Bar: the digital tools serve only to simplify the gathering of information, the qualification of the matter and the tracking of requests; they never replace the lawyer's advice, who designs and steers the entire arrangement.
Practice areas
When to call on the firm
- Structure the ownership of family wealth through a holding company and an SPF.
- Put in place family governance and a family charter.
- Plan and secure the transfer between generations.
- Coordinate the legal side of an international estate.
Method
Our engagement process
- 1
Information intake
You describe your need via a structured form or an initial call. Our digital tools serve only to organise this information and save time.
- 2
Lawyer qualification
Maître Maglo reviews your situation, identifies the legal issues and confirms the feasibility and exact scope of the engagement.
- 3
Transparent quote
You receive a clear fee proposal, a fixed fee or a range, before any engagement. Nothing is billed without your approval.
- 4
Legal work
The firm drafts, negotiates or litigates as required. Every deliverable is designed and approved by a lawyer admitted to the Luxembourg Bar.
- 5
Tracking and delivery
You follow your matter transparently and receive your finalised documents with the explanations you need.
Documents required
- • Mapping of the estate and existing structures
- • Family composition and succession objectives
- • Current agreements, articles and governance documents
- • Residence situations and assets held abroad
Deliverables
- • Documented wealth architecture
- • Family governance agreements and charter
- • Succession transfer plan
Indicative timing
The design of the architecture is carried out over a few weeks; the implementation of the structures and agreements is planned according to the required deeds.
Fees stated upfront
Scoping meeting from EUR 175 excl. VAT; fixed-fee wealth structuring engagement from EUR 1,500 for the design phase, then fees according to scope.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is a legal family office?
It is the legal organisation of the ownership, governance and transfer of a substantial family estate, combining a holding company, a wealth vehicle, agreements and succession planning.
From what level of wealth is it relevant?
Once the estate is significant, diversified or international, an overall legal architecture protects it better than scattered ownership. The firm assesses your situation.
Does the firm handle the international dimension?
Yes, the firm coordinates the residences, treaties and succession rules applicable to cross-border estates.
Is Cerno a wealth manager?
No. Cerno is a law firm admitted to the Luxembourg Bar that designs and coordinates the legal framework; the lawyer steers the arrangement, the digital tools only help with tracking.
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Choosing Cerno means choosing over 17 years of experience
- 2013
- independent firm
- 2009
- at the Bar since 2009
- 7
- working languages
- 100+
- companies & SOPARFI structured
- 200+
- visas & residence permits obtained
- 170
- client nationalities served
- 300+
- due diligence reviews conducted
Around twenty M&A transactions supported · one of the best visa approval rates in Luxembourg.
Since 2009, we devote our expertise to your satisfaction: more than 85% of our clients renew their trust in us.
Our work
Representative matters, anonymised
Typical examples of engagements handled by the firm, presented in an anonymised and illustrative manner. Each matter is handled and validated by a lawyer registered with the Luxembourg Bar.
A holding company and a residence permit, in a single process
Incorporation of a SOPARFI for a non-resident investor, combined with obtaining their residence permit. A single point of contact across both fronts.
Permit obtained in 6 weeksA similar matter? Companies & governanceFounders protected before the funding round
Structuring a shareholders’ agreement and governance for a young company with several founders, ahead of a funding round.
Shareholders’ agreement signed before the roundA similar matter? Debt recoveryA debt recovered across borders
Cross-border recovery of unpaid debts for an SME, through an order for payment and coordination with a foreign colleague.
Receivable recovered in full (100%)A similar matter? Employment lawAn executive defended before the Labour Tribunal
Supporting an executive in a contested dismissal, from strategy to representation at the hearing.
Case argued at the hearingA similar matter? ContractsA secured international distribution
Negotiating and securing an international framework distribution agreement, from liabilities through to the competent jurisdiction.
Competent jurisdiction securedA similar matter?Typical, anonymised examples, for illustration only. They do not prejudge the outcome of a matter, which depends on each situation.
Entrust my matter to the firmExpertise & authority
Ongoing review and analysis of Luxembourg and European case law
Avocate à la Cour, List I of the Luxembourg Bar since 2009
Trained at the London School of Economics, formerly at Clifford Chance and Bonn Steichen & Partners
Member of international networks: EILN, AEA, Cross Border Advisory Solutions
Every matter handled and approved by a lawyer admitted to the Bar
Support in 7 languages, clients of 170 nationalities
Testimonials
What our clients say
Had a consultation with Me Cora Maglo about my Luxembourg Blue Card application. She explained everything clearly: the process, timeline and documents I need, and helped me with my wife’s family reunification too. Honest and practical advice. I felt confident after talking to her.Farshid Pourlatifi
J’ai beaucoup apprécié le service de Maître Maglo : son sérieux, sa sympathie, son professionnalisme et sa disponibilité. Toujours répondu rapidement et clairement, avec des conseils pragmatiques, sans pousser à des procédures longues et coûteuses lorsqu’elles ne sont pas justifiées.Nathan Wirtzfeld
Super assistance and great support! Highly recommend. All my questions were answered, Cora and her team kept me updated all the time. I will definitely reach out to them next time for my residency.Tatiana
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