Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Tax - London (Bar)
What the Team is Known For
11 New Square, the oldest specialist tax set at the Bar, is known for its first-rate representation of HMRC and taxpayers, although the majority of its instructions come from the latter, whom it represents in many a high-profile case, particularly in the higher courts. Chambers handles cases covering the full breadth of tax disputes including those relating to corporate taxes, employment taxes, capital allowances, land taxes and indirect taxes. Members also provide extensive advisory support on tax issues arising from corporate and transactional matters, with clients approaching them for "the most complex and sophisticated of matters". They are experts on the fiscal laws of other jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, India and the Channel Islands. Recent cases handled include SSE Generation Limited v HMRC, a case concerning the amount of tax relief available for the construction of a state-of-the-art hydroelectric power plant in Glendoe in Scotland, and GE Financial Investments v HMRC, a case concerning the correct application of the Residence Article of the UK-US double tax treaty.
Tom Rook is the senior clerk.
Strengths
This is simply one of the top tax sets. It has very good clerking and a strong range of barristers.
Tom Rook, the head clerk, provides clients with an excellent, user-friendly service.
The clerking is absolutely great. Tom Rook is brilliant - super when it comes to availability and someone we have a great relationship with. He's just fantastic. Nothing is too much trouble for him.
The new clerking team have transformed the ease of working with this chambers.
The clerking is one of the reasons I keep going back to this set. The support they afford us makes a huge difference. The clerks help us navigate the challenges of working with the barristers.
Notable practitioners
John Gardiner KC has earned a reputation as one of the top tax practitioners. He has extensive experience representing taxpayers, particularly financial institutions, in litigation before all levels of domestic and international courts. He often represents taxpayers in Commonwealth countries.
His understanding of business matters, people and judgments is second to none. John is razor sharp and a man of excellent discernment.
Hui Ling McCarthy KC is a highly rated silk who specialises in VAT, corporate and business tax matters. She has represented clients at every level of the domestic courts and is well versed in advising corporates on employment taxes.
Hui Ling is exceptionally talented. She is very hard-working and really all over the detail in the case.
Very, very good analytically and excellent at performing under time pressure. I was really struck by how good Hui Ling was as an advocate.
Clients very much value Hui Ling's energy and drive.
Hui Ling is a very user-friendly barrister who makes herself available and manages clients' expectations well. Her technical and intellectual consideration of matters is second to none.
Jonathan Peacock KC is deeply experienced in advising financial institutions, multinationals and high net worth individuals on a range of tax matters. His areas of expertise include capital markets, employee remuneration and capital allowances, among others. He is seen as a standout figure at the Tax Bar and someone with the gravitas to handle the most sophisticated and significant cases. Peacock has appeared at the highest levels of the UK and EU court systems.
If I was going to spend my own money on a tax barrister, I'd spend it on him. Intellectually and in the way he approaches cases, Jonathan is by far the most impressive barrister I've dealt with.
Jonathan is very experienced, very smooth and someone who delivers advice in a very clear, helpful way.
Jonathan is in a league of his own. He is trusted to take the most difficult judgement calls and is a master of advocacy and client handling.
Jonathan is highly responsive, consistent in his views and very client-friendly.
Jonathan is super smart and has loads of experience. He's easy to work with and has a great courtroom style. He has an easy manner with the judge and he lands his points clearly and effectively.
Michael Ripley takes instructions in the full range of direct tax matters, handling litigation and advisory mandates. His practice spans business tax as well as personal tax mandates. He is a qualified chartered accountant and is experienced in cases involving capital allowances and the taxation of partnerships.
Michael Ripley was excellent with our clients and had a strong understanding of the facts and issues in dispute.
Michael is tremendously calm and thoughtful, so he's very nice to deal with. He's a dream to put in front of your clients because he's very methodical, thoughtful and clever.
Michael is a fantastic junior whose accountancy background is very helpful. Really smart and easy to work with, he makes himself available and is happy to pick up the phone anytime.
Michael is really calm and unexcitable. He deals really nicely with solicitors and clients, takes a view and delivers solid advice.
Edward Hellier counsels and litigates on behalf of a wide variety of clients, from individuals to large companies. He acts both led and unled and has experience of Court of Appeal cases.
Edward is a very good lawyer and a good litigator. We've done some complex things with Edward and he's shown himself to be very bright and able.
Edward is an exceptional junior. He's strong in his analysis and delivery, and has excellent lay and professional client-handling skills.
Edward Hellier is very responsive and has an excellent bedside manner. He is able to digest complex fact patterns quickly and produce compelling arguments.
Edward is very into the details of each case, whether factual or technical, and is very good to work. He has an open working style, which makes it feel as though he's part of the team.
John Brinsmead-Stockham KC has an established reputation, having worked on a number of significant tax cases in recent years, including big-value litigation and cases which set important precedents. He is equally skilled at taking on advocacy and advisory roles, and acts for both HMRC and taxpayers in cases involving matters such as capital gains tax and corporation tax appeals.
John is very easy to work with and excellent at client handling.
John is excellent. He is one of those people who can take a knotty, complex case and distil it down. A particular skill of his is his attention to detail.
Sarah Black regularly represents and advises the taxpayer on a range of cases. She has expertise in handling claims and providing guidance relating to capital allowances, double tax treaties, closure notices, transfer pricing and other corporate taxes.
Sarah Black is a very strong junior who's great with clients.
Sarah is incredibly thorough and excellent at challenging and questioning everything.
Sarah is thorough, diligent and someone who takes responsibility. She makes my life so much easier, not least because she's very good at knowing when to make me come to a decision.
Francis Fitzpatrick KC is a silk with a strong advisory and litigation practice. He frequently acts for financial institutions, blue-chip companies and private individuals in a range of cases concerning such issues as employee remuneration, corporate finance and asset management. He also has experience acting for the Revenue.
Francis is very impressive and adaptable. We've used him for some odd things and he's very good at getting to grips with them quickly.
Francis does an absolute deep dive into cases and is technically astute. He's prudent and cautious in his opinions, which are much appreciated by clients.
We use Francis for our most challenging and delicate matters.
