Press Articles

Michael Cutler 25 years ago Maidenhead newspapers headlined such stories as, “Nuclear Fallout Bunker in Town Hall costs soar”; “Maidenhead servicemen amongst first to die in the Falklands war”; “Princess Ann launches town’s 400 years celebrations”; “Very cold winter brings talk of new ice-age”. Among the less serious news items in 1982 were these items, “Vicar of Wargrave wins annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Race”; “Cookham Dean roads brought to a standstill by thousands attending Laura Ashley Sale”. A quarter-century ago petrol cost the equivalent of 33p a litre!

Another event escaped the attention of local reporters, though no less momentous – a young solicitor called Michael Cutler joined Charles Coleman & Company solicitors in their offices on Marlow Road, Maidenhead. Today the firm is called Colemans Solicitors LLP and he is the senior partner! During his time in Maidenhead he was also a member of the Great Britain Pistol Shooting Squad and gained a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games.

Michael was one of the early members of a unique organisation called STEP which is the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners. As its name perhaps implies, it is a group of specially trained and qualified professionals who are experts in the law surrounding the whole issue of taxation and administration of people’s assets, during lifetime and after death. Full members of STEP are the most experienced and senior practitioners in the field of trusts and estates; Michael is the only full-time solicitor member of STEP in Maidenhead and regularly acts as consultant in this field to accountants, financial advisers and other solicitors.

As a young lawyer he chose to specialise in the financial aspects of Wills and Probate because he liked the idea of taking on the Chancellor of the Exchequer by exploiting tax-saving opportunities for his Maidenhead clients. Since joining Colemans’ in 1982 he has noticed a dramatic shift in the emphasis of Estate taxation away from the wealthiest people, at whom Inheritance Tax was originally aimed, so that it now affects almost every householder in this area. Rising house prices have been largely responsible for this as shown by a local advert in 1982 which offered a “beautiful detached cottage with a ¼ acre grounds, secluded gardens and double-glazing for £59,950”. In 2007 average house prices in Maidenhead are now running at over £370,000 so it can readily be seen that the current Inheritance Tax threshold of £300,000 is easily breached especially when the value of investments, savings, car, life policies, pension funds etc. are added to the value of a house.

The face of the legal profession has also changed dramatically. In 1982 the public’s respect for solicitor’s practices was high and clients tended to remain loyal to a single firm. Consumerism has changed all that and law firms have reacted by becoming more businesslike. Colemans were the forerunners in Maidenhead at implementing business management practices, including the introduction of technology in which Michael took a keen interest. Today’s Marlow Road offices look and feel very different to when the young Michael Cutler first walked through the door, and that has little to do with the firm’s move from number 27 to larger premises at number 21!

As Michael contemplates the next 25 years with his wife - a practicing family lawyer - and his two children, he sees the law becoming increasingly complex as Governments seek to find more “creative” ways to raise taxes and specialists like him find equally creative ways to ensure that his clients receive the best legal advice available.

For further information please contact Michael Cutler on 01628 631051 or email michael.cutler@colemans.co.uk or visit the web site www.colemans.co.uk