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About
Provided by George Rowell
Practice Areas
George is a commercial barrister specialising in tax disputes, professional negligence and insolvency. He combines heavy-weight advocacy experience with in-depth tax and commercial knowledge.
Professional Negligence
George is routinely instructed as sole or leading junior counsel in multi-million pound claims against accountants, tax advisers, IFAs and solicitors. He has a particular interest in claims arising from negligent tax and financial advice and failed property investment schemes.
Tax Disputes
George “cut his teeth” in-house with HMRC before moving to independent practice. He represented HMRC as a member of the Attorney-General’s Panel between 2008-2021 but now concentrates on advising businesses and private clients. His main areas of expertise are employment-related taxes, CGT, IHT, VAT, judicial review, avoidance schemes and penalties.
Insolvency
George is routinely instructed as sole or leading junior counsel in multi-million pound proceedings against directors and shareholders. He has a particular interest in cases with overlapping tax and insolvency issues, such as misfeasance claims arising from failed tax avoidance schemes.
Cases:
£20m negligence claim against promoter of EBT tax scheme
£10m bribery and negligence claim against accountants and solicitors in respect of 14 tax schemes
Defending £5m misfeasance claim against directors who used an EBT tax scheme.
Acting for liquidators in £2m misfeasance claim against directors who used failed tax schemes
£5m claim against solicitors over defective share purchase agreement
Career
Magdalen College, Oxford (MA Oxon); City University, London (MA in Law)
Call 2024
Publications
Co-author of Tax Penalties: A Practitioner’s Guide (Sweet & Maxwell; 2nd edn, 2019)
Chambers Review
UK Bar
George Rowell is a well-regarded barrister who specialises in professional negligence disputes. He is particularly experienced in claims against accountants and tax advisers.
George Rowell of Exchange Chambers is a much-admired barrister whose broad practice encompasses cases concerning VAT, and has particular expertise in cases concerning tax avoidance schemes.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"George Rowell is simply fantastic in all areas. He is an absolute pleasure to work with."
"He is our go-to counsel. He is exceptional in every possible regard."
"George is always on hand to assist."
"George Rowell is simply fantastic in all areas. He is an absolute pleasure to work with."
"He is our go-to counsel. He is exceptional in every possible regard."
"George is always on hand to assist."