Strategic Asset Protection & International Structuring Across UK, EU and UAE
Fernando del Canto is a dual-qualified Barrister (England & Wales) and European Lawyer (Spain and Ireland) with over 25 years of international legal and tax experience.
He advises private clients, family offices, and international businesses operating across the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the UAE.
Trained with KPMG and Deloitte, Fernando has worked on more than 600 international cases, guiding clients through complex cross-border transactions, tax investigations, and regulatory disputes involving both common law and civil law systems.
His practice covers international tax litigation, financial crime representation, corporate and public law, as well as probate and high-net-worth divorce cases involving multi-jurisdictional assets.
He is recognised for his discretion, precision, and strategic long-term approach. Fernando is a regular contributor to professional publications and has been quoted by The Financial Times, El País, The Times, Taxation, Cinco Días, and Huff Post.
He also lectures internationally on comparative legal systems, taxation, and cross-border governance.
- Real presence and expertise in the UK, EU, and UAE
- Featured in media such as the Financial Times, The Times, El País, and Taxation
When conflicts of law intersect, clarity drives results. My counsel is defined by precision, discretion, and cross-border expertise
Practice Areas
With a practice grounded in international private and public law, Fernando develops integrated cross-border tax and legal strategies for private clients, families, and family offices. His approach blends technical precision with strategic insight, supporting clients with interests in multiple jurisdictions and complex international structures.
International Tax & Asset Structuring
Advising private clients and families on tax residence, treaty matters, tax authority enquiries and disputes, and family office strategy. He delivers integrated cross-border tax and asset structuring solutions that promote efficiency, compliance, and long-term security.
Property & Succession
Counseling clients on cross-border estate planning, trusts, wills, international probate, and estate disputes, helping families structure and transition their assets smoothly and securely between jurisdictions.
Family Governance & Dispute Resolution
Fernando advises families on the design of governance structures—including family constitutions, charters, and protocols—and on the management of cross-border disputes and divorce matters. He prioritises mediation and arbitration to resolve conflicts efficiently and discreetly, while remaining fully prepared to litigate when required. His work includes prenuptial agreements, trust arrangements, and intergenerational succession planning, supporting stability, clarity, and continuity across generations and jurisdictions.
Business Law for Private Clients
Fernando advises on corporate structuring, acquisitions, governance frameworks, compliance, and commercial dispute resolution. He supports international entrepreneurs and family offices in establishing, expanding, and managing business interests across the UK, EU, and UAE
Public International Law
Acting in matters involving sovereign entities, international arbitration and fi nancial crime, Fernando applies his experience in comparative and cross-border legal systems to resolve complex disputes under international law.
Global Relocation
Advising on tax residence, immigration pathways, and international structuring for clients navigating relocation across jurisdictions. Fernando’s guidance includes due consideration of the taxation of assets and global income, management and control, and UBO-related issues. He offers strategic and compliant solutions that support seamless mobility and the demands of globally integrated personal and professional lives.
Selected Cases
Fernando has advised and represented clients worldwide on more than 600 major international transactions and disputes, including
- Advised on the acquisition of intellectual property assets of a leading Spanish football club by a listed international investment vehicle.
- Led due diligence for the acquisition of Spain’s largest electric-vehicle manufacturer by a publicly listed company.
- Acted in an ICC arbitration between a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) government and a commercial entity, seated in London.
- Counselled a European government offi ce on estate, arbitration, and public-law matters under international jurisdiction.
- Guided the restructuring of major European manufacturing and marine engineering groups within the EU.
- Supported international charitable and cultural foundations on cross-border governance, tax, and regulatory compliance.
- Secured a strategic investment from a Gulf sovereign wealth fund for a major European media group.
- Represented clients in complex international litigation and arbitration proceedings across Europe, the UK, and the Middle East.
- Acted for high-net-worth individuals in cross-border probate and divorce matters involving substantial assets in Spain and the UK.
- Advised on international tax investigations and voluntary disclosure processes before UK and EU tax authorities.
- Represented clients in fi nancial crime and fraud-related proceedings involving cross-jurisdictional enforcement.
- Counselled international businesses on compliance, governance, and corporate restructuring across multiple tax jurisdictions.
- Provided tax and legal advice to professional sports organisations, including Premier League and European clubs.
- Advised on brand licensing, IP structuring, and rebranding for entertainment and media ventures in the Gulf region.
- Advised a Spanish cultural institution on cross-border legal and regulatory matters in the United Kingdom.
His experience extends to multiple jurisdictions, connecting legal, fiscal, and commercial objectives through coordinated strategy.
Publications & Recognition
León Fernando del Canto featured in Financial Times analysis on taxing the wealthy
León Fernando del Canto featured in Financial Times analysis on taxing the wealthy The Financial
Residence, Domicile and Trusts after the Non-Dom Reforms Taxation
Residence, Domicile and Trusts after the Non-Dom Reforms Taxation Article “Residence, Domicile and Trusts after
Limits on expats in Spain may breach human rights
Limits on expats in Spain may breach human rights – The Times Profile, “Barrister bridging
Is legal practice compatible with international expansion? – Huffpost
Is legal practice compatible with international expansion? Over recent decades, many Spanish companies have expanded
Featured in leading international media including The Times, Financial Times, El País and Taxation (UK), Fernando contributes regularly on topics of cross-border taxation, compliance, and ESG. He is the author of Abogacía Crítica (Thomson Reuters, 2021), and a member of Lincoln’s Inn, Middle Temple, the City of London Livery, and the Spanish Bar.
Every legal challenge deserves a thoughtful and strategic solution — one that’s built on understanding, experience, and attention to detail.
Contact & offices
- London – Temple, Six Pump Court
- Madrid – Calle Serrano, 110
- Dubai – Boulevard Plaza Tower 1
Each office serves as a point of coordination for cross-border legal matters requiring representation or advisory in multiple jurisdictions.
Book a call or consultation: on request. | Meetings by appointment only.
For enquiries or to arrange a consultation: private@fernandodelcanto.com
