Citywealth Leaders list 60 second spotlight
Charles Lubar – Private client lawyer turned author.
Like the TV show Succession, the book ‘An Improbable Journey’ is a must read for all private client lawyers steeped in the interesting, odd, and highly entertaining world of the UHNW business entrepreneur, media luvvy or family. The author, now in his 80’s, Charles Lubar has always been a hard-working lawyer and he shows no sign of changing the former but has now switched careers to become , like one of his clients, a media star. With his first book ‘an improbable journey’ he documents his changing decisions and career journey which included a spell in Kenya and shows how he “contributed to the success of some of the major figures in the world of film, television and music.” A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School and holds a master’s degree in taxation from Georgetown Law. For two-and-a-half years he worked in the Chief Counsel’s Office of the Internal Revenue Service in Washington, D.C. He spent thirty-four years as a partner for the global law firm Morgan Lewis. Lubar most recently served as a Senior Counsel at McDermott Will & Emery. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Lubar spent two years as an entrepreneur in Nairobi, Kenya and has been a resident of London, England since 1971.
His list of clients goes on and on: Bill Graham, John Cleese, Santana, Diana Ross, Frank Oz, Chuck Traynor, Marilyn Chambers, Barbara Bach, Jane Seymour, Shakira, and Enrique Iglesias. Many turned to Lubar in real need of his assistance at the very prime (and sometimes, nadir) of their careers. Lubar’s bona fides would even land him a spot on the US-UK Fulbright Commission, as President of the Yale Club of London, and a Managing Partner in London of one of the major international law firms.
The Muppets to Michael Jackson
Lubar could never have predicted that his work would put him in front of some of the biggest names in showbiz. From the James Bond franchise to Linda Lovelace and “Deep Throat”; from Jim Henson and The Muppets to Michael Jackson and the Beatles; from behind the Iron Curtain to the islands of the Netherlands Antilles, Lubar’s rare knowledge of the tax codes spanning Europe and the U.S. made him an indispensable figure to creatives trying to make their financial lives work.
Lubar says in the book “As far as the work I did for Michael Jackson in reference to his performances in the UK, on paying his bill, so afraid was he of being ripped off by his agents and representatives, he wrote out his check to me himself (as he did all his checks). If I had had a little bit more investor insight, I would have kept that check with the King of Pop’s signature on it, never cashed it, and framed it as a memento.”
One client, Peter Livanos, Greek Shipping Family, says of Lubar, “Over twenty plus years, Chuck has been an invaluable advisor to my family and was instrumental in setting up a structure that will benefit generations to come. His advice, both personal and professional as we negotiated some very complex family issues, was critical in the eventual stabilization of our circumstances and a solid foundation on which to preserve my father and grandfather’s hard-earned wealth.”
As summer approaches, Lubar and ‘An improbable Journey’ offer you a moment to put your phone down and to hear someone else’s fascinating journey in the world of private wealth whilst you sip a cocktail and enjoy some sunshine.
The book is available on Amazon priced at £12
An Improbable Journey eBook : Lubar, Charles G.: Amazon.co.uk: Books
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