Tax

David Milne KC is an iconic presence at the Tax Bar who is highly sought after for his expertise on both the contentious and non-contentious sides. He acts for both the taxpayer and the Revenue. His advisory practice includes assisting with high-profile M&A transactions and reorganisations. He regularly handles Supreme Court and ECJ briefs.

"David is so good because he is so experienced; he has real wealth of knowledge."

Kevin Prosser KC is a pre-eminent silk who acts for the Revenue and taxpayers on a range of tax issues, including challenges to major schemes. He has appeared at all levels of court and also maintains a highly respected advisory practice covering such areas as the Diverted Profits Tax and transfer pricing.

"One of the best advocates out there at the moment and also very technical."

"It's a joy to go to him because he is so quick, and he can unravel very difficult arguments."

"Kevin Prosser is outstanding in terms of his knowledge and skill, but also because he doesn't sit on stuff - he deals with matters very quickly."

Barbara Belgrano is an accomplished junior experienced in a wide range of complex corporate tax cases. She acts for the taxpayer and HMRC in cases involving tax schemes, double tax treaties and group litigation relating to the taxation of dividends.

"Barbara Belgrano is a really able junior. She's a demon when it comes to cases with complicated facts and difficult tax issues."

David Ewart KC handles some of HMRC's most important test cases, and also regularly represents the Revenue in group litigation. He further acts for taxpayers on significant matters in an advisory capacity and in court. Clients include accountants and multinational corporations. Ewart has undertaken an interesting selection of matters, including those concerning film finance schemes, double tax treaties and corporate restructurings.

"David is absolutely fantastic. He's a very clever and astute advocate."

James Henderson is junior counsel on some of the most significant corporate tax cases of recent years. He also has a thriving advisory practice and receives regular instructions in cases regarding business reorganisations. Henderson has sound knowledge of transfer pricing and the Diverted Profits Tax rules.

"James has great appellate experience and really impresses as a logical and measured advocate."

James Rivett KC has a broad-based corporate tax practice and regularly appears in major cases relating to matters such as tax schemes, double tax treaties and manufactured overseas dividends. He represents both the Revenue and the taxpayer.

"James is pleasant to deal with and willing to put his neck on the line when faced with complex matters. He further understands the non-tax legal aspects of cases as well."

"James is really first-class. He has supreme knowledge and ability."

David Yates KC is a highly regarded barrister who acts for the taxpayer and HMRC in a broad range of cases including significant group litigation orders. He advises on matters including cross-border dividends and double taxation agreements, and has niche expertise in advising insurers on tax-related professional negligence matters.

"David is very good, highly responsive and very clear in his advice."

"David has a natural and easy style with clients, and is very proactive in terms of raising things to discuss."

"David is incredibly pragmatic and the tax silk you go to get the right answer. He's lucid in his advice - everyone from a CFO to the man in the street can understand him."

"A barrister wholly trusted by clients, who really leads the way on the strategy front."

Elizabeth Wilson KC is a well-regarded silk who acts for both the taxpayer and the Revenue. Her corporate tax caseload spans a range of matters, from employment tax to capital gains tax. She is experienced in handling cases that touch on EU law.

"Elizabeth is phenomenal. She offers good, practical tax advice and, most importantly, she listens."

Giles Goodfellow KC is an expert on income tax and employee benefits matters, who regularly provides advice on corporate reorganisations, tax-related professional negligence and tax schemes. He acts for both the Revenue and taxpayers, and is noted for his knowledge of the Managed Service Company legislation.

"Giles has in-depth specialist knowledge of tax law, and is a user-friendly barrister, who thinks outside the box."

Jeremy Woolf is a senior junior with extensive experience in a range of complex corporate tax litigation and advisory mandates. He is particularly strong on income tax, corporate restructuring and employee benefit trusts issues. Woolf is also knowledgeable about judicial reviews and tax-related human rights matters.

"A modest, caring counsel who provides useful, detailed advice to assist clients with tax planning."

Laura Poots acts for both the Revenue and the taxpayer in a range of corporate tax instructions. She has notable expertise in pension tax disputes and procedural cases.

"Laura is very clear and considered in her advice."

Richard Vallat KC frequently acts for HMRC on challenges to avoidance schemes and is an expert on corporate tax and capital allowances issues. He takes instructions on the taxpayer side in cases concerning corporate tax schemes, employee benefit trusts and tax-related professional negligence. He also acts in contractual disputes.

"Richard makes tax look easy, which is an exceptional skill."

"Richard has great breadth of knowledge and appears in a number of high-profile cases."

Rupert Baldry KC, although best known for HMRC work, has an impressive taxpayer practice and has handled a number of group litigations. Many of his cases involve transfers between international arms of multinational businesses, and deal with issues such as loans to foreign subsidiaries, double taxation treaties and the taxation of foreign dividends.

"A very good barrister, who turns papers around quickly and is clear in his advice. He quickly grasps matters and really steps up even in the most pressurised situations."

Thomas Chacko has developed an impressive and broad-ranging corporate tax practice. He has a growing reputation in employment tax matters and has experience of cases involving partnership structures.

"The process of dealing with Thomas is always exceptionally easy and smooth."

"Thomas is very clever and can be relied upon to handle matters of great complexity."

Ben Elliott is a junior with an extensive practice who acts led and unled in cases at all levels of the UK courts system. He has expertise in handling a vast array of cases including those relating to employment and payroll taxes, corporate tax and EU tax law.

"Ben is very bright and good tactically."

"He did the bulk of the work in our case and was very good at communicating with clients. He was responsive in a way some people at the Tax Bar are not."

Laura Ruxandu is a specialist tax barrister, who accepts instructions across a wide range of areas, including cases relating to corporation tax, landfill tax, and double tax treaties.

"Laura is an absolute delight to deal with, who wears her evidently huge intelligence lightly."

Zizhen Yang appears with leading silks in major litigation and also handles her own cases unled. She has wide-ranging corporate tax expertise and has appeared in matters regarding tax schemes, business reorganisations, loan relationships and derivative contracts. She acts for both HMRC and the taxpayer.

"She's excellent and the quality of her preparation shines through at every stage of the case."

Michael Thomas KC is a taxpayer-side practitioner with a broad-based advisory and contentious tax practice, spanning business tax, indirect taxes and private client matters. He is particularly well versed in property tax matters, including stamp duty, and is an expert on corporate tax and tax treaties. Thomas is notable for the fact that during his first 13 years at the Bar he did not lose a case for either a taxpayer or any party to a civil claim where he had conduct at first instance.

"Michael is one of the best advocates out there at the moment and is also very technical."

"I really appreciate Michael's collaborative style; he is good enough to know that he doesn't know everything: the mark of a true tax expert."