Tax Disputes and Investigations
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Effective handling of relations with H.M. Revenue & Customs ("HMRC") presents challenges. Managing tax disputes requires a clear understanding of both the dispute process and the tax technical issues. It is for this reason that we believe that specialist skills in both are required to provide best advice in this area.
We devote all of our time to dealing with HMRC and the Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office ("RCPO"). We specialise exclusively in actual or potentially contentious tax matters. We do not advise in relation to tax planning, nor do we give general tax advice. This enables us to prioritise and give full attention to the prevention and resolution of disputes in the most efficient, timely and cost-effective way.
Our experience is considerable. Due to the way that we specialise we can often anticipate what HMRC will do before they actually do it. Our experience can give you a crucial tactical advantage. The vast majority of cases that we handle settle before reaching the Commissioners, the VAT Tribunal or a Court. We are extremely proud of this record. As a result, our published credentials only represent the "tip of the iceberg" in terms of the range of work that we undertake - and the success that we achieve.
We are used to working in multi-disciplinary teams with other professional advisers - such as accountants, tax advisors and tax investigations practitioners. Much of our work is referred directly by tax professionals who require specialist assistance in resolving, or preventing, disputes on behalf of their clients. We believe that a collaborative, inclusive approach to other professional advisers is very much in the best interests of the client.
Our mission statement is simple - to ensure that your tax dispute is resolved to your best commercial advantage. Our experience makes this much easier.
We will always seek to achieve settlement whenever possible. However, whenever necessary, we are well-equipped to fight HMRC on your behalf. We have done so time and again in the Special and General Commissioners, the VAT Tribunal, the Magistrates Court and Crown Court, the UK higher Civil Courts and the European Court of Justice.
If you have an actual or potential issue with HMRC and you would like help with it, please contact us.
The team has received the following commentary from Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 Directories.The Tax Disputes and Investigations team is delighted to announce the classification in Band 1 for Contentious Tax in Chambers and Partners 2009 Directory.
In Chambers UK 2009, the Tax Disputes & Investigations team is ranked in 'Band One', for the second consecutive year, with the following acclaim -
This team of “highly specialised and shrewd” tax litigators remains ….at the pinnacle of taxpayer-led contentious tax work with expertise in both direct and indirect matters. The team is “probably unrivalled for depth” and has proved itself “formidable at strategy and implementation.” Recent work includes “some of the most significant and interesting cases” such as HMRC v Weald Leasing. The group is commended for “working closely as a team with clients, counsel and each other,” often finding a way to settle at the earliest possible stage. A strong and fruitful relationship with KPMG has assisted the firm in establishing this depth of expertise and experience.
James Bullock is rated as “an obvious leader in the field” and heads the firm’s litigation practice, focusing his own work on tax disputes. He is “a skilled negotiator” with extensive experience of dealing with “the toughest guys at the Revenue,” enabling him to frequently settle disputes before they reach the courts, say clients.
Jason Collins leads the firm’s tax litigation practice, working with corporations on disputes brought by HMRC. He has developed particularly strong expertise in employment-related taxation. Collins is respected for his “firm grasp of the issues and understanding of clients’ agendas” and is considered a key component of this “dynamic and useful team.”
Rupert Shiers is “driven, keen and leaves no stone unturned” on corporation tax, EU law disputes and anti-avoidance matters for taxpayers. “His ability to explain in five pages what others would explain in 25” earns him the respect and admiration of clients.
Commenting on the team’s success, James Bullock, National Head of Litigation at McGrigors said, “I am extremely proud of the exceptional work that the team has carried out in order to be awarded a Band 1 classification by Chambers and Partners. This is fantastic recognition of our achievements over recent years and reinforces our position as one of the UK’s leading litigation teams.”
The Legal 500 2008 recommends McGrigors LLP in Corporate Tax.
Tax Compliance and Regulatory Services
Managing and Resolving Disputes with HMRC
Judicial Review and HMRC Powers
Anti-Money Laundering Legislation
Our Experience:
HMRC Investigations and Powers
Commissioners' Appeals
Higher Court Appeals
Judicial Review
EU Tax Discrimination
VAT and Indirect Tax
Anti-Money Laundering Legislation
For further information please contact :
taxlitigation@mcgrigors.com
Tax Disputes and Investigations