Our tax disputes specialists devote all their time to dealing with HMRC and the Revenue & Customs Division of the Crown Prosecution Office Service. They specialise exclusively in actual or potentially contentious tax matters. This enables them 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 and can give you a crucial tactical advantage. The vast majority of cases that we handle settle before reaching the Tribunal or the Courts and this remains our strategy in every case we undertake. 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 for our clients.
The Pinsent Masons Tax Disputes & Interventions team has experience gathered in major law firms, HMRC and 'Big 4' accountants.
We are at the forefront of alternative dispute resolution in tax and three senior members of our team are CEDR accredited mediators.
We are used to working in multi-disciplinary teams with other professional advisers - such as accountants, tax advisors and tax investigations practitioners. Some of our work is referred 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 interest of the client.
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 First Tier Tribunal, the Upper Tribunal, the UK higher Civil Courts, the Court of Justice of the European Union and the Magistrates Court and Crown Court.
We are also able to advise on a number of funding options (including after the event insurance), which can help businesses manage the cost of defending themselves against HMRC challenges.
If you have an actual or potential issue with HMRC and you would like help with it, please contact us.
Recent experience
- Acting for Mr Mayes (one of 70 participants in a tax scheme called SHIPS 2) in the Court of Appeal in Revenue & Customs v Mayes [2011] EWCA Civ 407, the only tax avoidance "scheme" to succeed before the courts in recent times.
- Acting for Weald Leasing Ltd in the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Justice in Weald Leasing (Taxation) [2010] EUECJ C-103/09 concerning VAT and abuse of rights.
- Acting for UBS AG in the First Tier Tax Tribunal in UBS AG v HMRC [2010] UKFTT 648 (TC) concerning its employee incentive arrangements.
- Acting for BT Pension Scheme in the First Tier Tribunal where tax of £1,400,000,000 was at stake in Trustees of the BT Pension Scheme v HMRC [2011] UKFTT 392.
- Acting for Christopher Lunn & Company in an HMRC allegation of tax evasion totalling £116,000,000; Christopher Lunn & Company Limited v HMRC [2011] EWHC 240 (Admin)).
- Acting for Secret Hotels2 Limited, a subsidiary of lastminute.com, in the Upper Tribunal in a VAT dispute with HMRC; Secret Hotels2 Limited (formerly Med Hotels Limited) v HMRC [2011] UKUT 308 (TCC).