My practice is focused on helping clients prevent tax disputes, and resolving them effectively where they have arisen.
Past clients include corporates in construction, technology, natural resources, food, pharma & healthcare, and charities, as well as HNW and UHNW individuals, and trustees and beneficiaries of trusts.
I regularly advise and represent clients in relation to complex employment tax issues and disputes including IR35, internationally mobile employees, and umbrella companies. I am the tax lead in Fieldfisher's IR35 team.
My practice also comprises customs duty litigation and disputes, tax-related judicial review, domicile enquiries, BIR, film schemes, pension charges and surcharges, and double tax treaty issues.
Helping clients with tax concerns often involves pursuing a number of solutions at different points during the tax-dispute lifecycle. These include:
- specialist dispute-prevention advice, such IR35 tax- and commercial risk management;
- remediation through disclosures where issues have arisen;
- advice and representation during HMRC enquiries, investigations, reclaims or clearance applications;
- tax litigation through the tribunals and courts, from the First-tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber), to the Upper Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court;
- a broad range of strategic tax dispute solutions such as group litigation, tax judicial review, restitution claims, other commercial claims, influencing at policy level, advice on confidentiality and privilege including cross-border matters, and strategic advice and coordination of international proceedings and procedures (EU Court of Justice, Mutual Assistance Procedure, foreign litigation etc.).
Lasting and wholistic solutions will often require a broad approach and driving clients' interests through a number of these pathways to a satisfactory conclusion. My practice involves providing realistic advice, guiding them towards selecting a strategy that is right for them, and working for them to achieve a solution.
I am listed as a 'name to note' in the Legal 500 directory for Contentious Tax, and I have written book chapters and articles in the specialist press - e.g. on professional legal privilege, HMRC information powers, and other topical tax issues.
In my spare time I paint, draw, carve, swim, take an interest in cars, and aspire to kayak.
