Your trusted partner for UK legal advice for North American clients
Our North America international desk supports individuals, entrepreneurs, investors, and businesses across the United States and Canada who have legal, commercial, or personal interests in the UK.
Whether you are investing into the UK, expanding operations, managing cross‑border transactions, or navigating UK regulatory and employment issues, our lawyers deliver strategic, commercially focused, and internationally coordinated advice grounded in English law.
We have extensive experience of advising North American clients on UK‑related matters and understand the practical realities of cross‑border investment, international mobility, and doing business across multiple jurisdictions.
Contact usOur legal services for clients in North America
We provide a wide range of English law services to North American clients. Common services that US‑ and Canada‑based clients trust us to deliver include:
Aviation and transport
Our award-winning aviation and transport lawyers offer a one-stop shop for clients based in the UK and North America and are highly experienced in advising on a very broad range of aviation matters such as:
- Regulatory matters and commercial disputes;
- Product liability claims;
- Subrogation recovery;
- General aviation, airline, airport, engineering and manufacturing issues.
Corporate and commercial
We support North American corporates, investors and entrepreneurs with the full spectrum of UK corporate and commercial legal services, including:
- Commercial contracts for UK operations, including supply, distribution, agency and services agreements
- Shareholder and investment agreements
- Private equity and venture capital transactions involving UK targets
- Ongoing commercial risk management for cross‑border trading
- Strategic advisory for UK growth and expansion plans
Dispute resolution, litigation and arbitration
We represent North American individuals and businesses involved in UK‑related disputes, offering strategic and commercially focused dispute resolution. Our experience includes:
- UK commercial litigation, including contract and shareholder disputes
- Cross‑border disputes involving UK and North American parties
- International arbitration and enforcement of awards in the UK
- Civil fraud, asset tracing and recovery involving UK assets
- Alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and negotiated settlements.
Employment and mobility
We advise North American employers and senior executives on the UK employment issues that arise from international expansion and mobility, including:
- UK employment law obligations for North American employers
- Cross‑border employment contracts and executive arrangements
- Workforce migration, relocation and mobility considerations
- Employment disputes, whistleblowing and regulatory issues
- Senior executive and board‑level advisory.
Insurance and reinsurance
We have a proven track record of advising on complex high value insurance and reinsurance claims and disputes and we are well versed in arbitrations, mediations and court proceedings at all levels. We have been involved with large losses and catastrophes around the world, including North America.
We regularly support UK and international insurers and reinsurers on North America‑related matters involving:
- Underlying losses in North American jurisdictions;
- Reinsurance placements spanning multiple markets;
- Coordination with foreign counsel, brokers, and experts;
- Conflicts of law and jurisdictional challenges.
International family law
Our international family and divorce lawyers specialise in:
- Complex financial settlements involving UK–US/Canadian households
- Divorce, separation and asset division with cross‑jurisdictional elements
- International child arrangements and residency issues
- Support for high‑net‑worth or reputation‑sensitive matters
International private wealth
Our leading international private wealth lawyers are highly experienced in advising high net worth and ultra high net worth individuals on issues such as:
- Cross‑border wealth structuring
- International tax considerations
- Wills, trusts, estates, inheritance and succession planning between the North America and the rest of the world
- Wealth preservation strategies
Launching a business in the UK
We support North American businesses at every stage of establishing and growing a UK presence. Our team advises on:
- UK business start‑ups and market entry strategies
- UK company formation and corporate structuring
- Establishing UK subsidiaries, branches and special‑purpose vehicles
- Governance frameworks and shareholder arrangements
- Ongoing UK corporate and commercial compliance.
UK inbound acquisition and investment
Our lawyers act as lead UK advisers for inbound investment and corporate development projects, supporting North American clients investing into or acquiring UK businesses. We advise on:
- UK inbound mergers, acquisitions and disposals
- UK‑focused due diligence for North American buyers
- Structuring UK investments, joint ventures and strategic partnerships
- Managing UK aspects of multi‑jurisdictional transactions
- Coordinating UK legal input alongside US and Canadian advisers.
UK regulatory advice
Our specialists provide UK‑specific regulatory advice to North American clients operating or investing in the UK. We support clients with:
- UK regulatory compliance and risk management
- Sector‑specific regulation, including healthcare, manufacturing and regulated services
- Data protection and UK GDPR requirements
- ESG‑related governance and reporting considerations
- Navigating regulatory differences between the UK, US and Canada.
Case study
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We were referred by Lauren Seferian at Benesch Law in Chicago in June 2026 to assist one of their clients, a UK citizen who had been convicted of criminal sexual offences whilst residing in the US which had resulted in a custodial sentence. Following completion of his sentence, the client was detained by Immigration Enforcement Authorities in the US and threatened with deportation back to the UK. Facing forced repatriation to the UK, the client wanted advice in relation to any restrictions on his liberty that he faced in the UK by virtue of his conviction. Following a remote conference with the client from his prison cell in US, we were able to provide a detailed written advice to the client setting out the applicable criminal law on sexual offences in the UK and the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003; their application to relevant offenders and offences committed outside of the UK. The client was given practical advice as to the application of the requirements to his particular circumstances and their application on his arrival into the UK, as well as advising on the likelihood of more onerous orders being sought by the UK authorities. We were also able to engage Grace MacGill in the immigration department, who was able to assist the client with his re-entry into the UK. Further assistance was provided when the client was interviewed by officers of the Metropolitan police once had successfully entered the UK. The instruction was time restrictive, with only a matter of days between being instructed and the client being physically returned to the UK.
Why choose Weightmans?
A connected, cross‑border advisory team
Our North America international desk brings together specialists from across Weightmans to deliver coordinated support on matters involving the UK, the US and Canada. International desks at Weightmans act as strategic hubs, focused on priority overseas markets and enabling joined‑up, cross‑border delivery.
We work closely with North American law firms, accountants, investment advisers and intermediaries to ensure a seamless client experience.
Cross‑border collaboration built in
Our international desk model is designed to support:
- Knowledge sharing across jurisdictions
- Relationship building with trusted advisers
- Coordinated inbound and outbound legal work
- Efficient management of multi‑jurisdictional matters
A strong UK base with global reach
With offices across the UK, seven international desks and a deep network of international partner firms, we are ideally placed to support North American clients with complex UK legal needs.
