Kathryn von Matthiessen

Spear’s Review

‘Katten is unique in that it is a full-service firm,’ says Kathryn von Matthiessen. Within its private client department alone, the company has 700 attorneys – all with varying specialisms.

Von Matthiessen’s focus is on sophisticated personal and estate planning for HNWs, as well as the administration of complex estates and trusts. Her clients are often foreign families with connections to the US, and she works on ‘inbound’ planning – helping them to prepare for the tax implications of personal or professional arrangements in the States. Many clients are concerned with ‘dynastic’ matters. ‘A lot of times it’s dealing with wealth transfers in a way that’s tax-efficient,’ she says.