Paul Farmer

Practice Areas

Paul Farmer is a partner of Joseph Hage Aaronson LLP and an internationally recognised barrister in the field of EU law with a particular emphasis on tax law. Paul’s practice focuses on contentious tax matters and he has broad experience of litigation at all levels of the UK courts and European Court of Justice, where he appears regularly. Paul’s practice also includes advisory work and making representations to relevant EU bodies.

Professional Memberships

Called to the Bar of England and Wales

Member of Lincoln’s Inn

Chartered Accountant, England and Wales

Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, England and Wales

Member of Revenue Bar Association

Visiting Faculty Member, International Tax Centre, University of Leiden (Netherlands)

Experience

Paul Farmer is a Barrister and was a founding partner in Joseph Hage Aaronson’s tax litigation team. Paul entered practice in 2002 with a broad background in European law and international tax law after holding senior positions at the European Court of Justice (Chambers of Advocate General Sir Francis Jacob) and European Commission (Head of Direct Taxation). Paul’s practice focuses on contentious matters and he has broad experience of litigation in the UK courts at all levels and in the European Court of Justice, where he has regularly appeared over the years. He is known internationally as a leading expert in the field of European tax law, having co-authored a major textbook on the subject, and works for both UK and foreign clients.

Work Highlights

The highlights of Paul’s work in recent years include:

- Three Supreme Court hearings and proceedings in the UK tribunals;

-Representing an EU multinational in a state aid matter before the Swedish Supreme Administrative Court and in proceedings before the European Commission;

- Representing an EU multinational in an ECJ reference from the Danish courts concerning an unlawful withholding tax and assisting its Danish lawyers with the ensuing proceedings in the Danish courts;

- Representing an EU multinational in connection with the ECJ reference in the Lexel case on Swedish tax avoidance rules; and

- Assisting Swedish lawyers in (Koebler) State liability proceedings in the Swedish administrative courts.