Tax: Contentious | Global

Baker McKenzie has a respected disputes team that consists of lawyers and non-legal specialists such as accountants. The team has significant experience in transfer pricing and VAT disputes. The firm has additional strength in handling diverted profits tax matters and European state aid investigations. International tax disputes are a particular area of strength, and the team is regularly sought out for advice on complex multi-jurisdictional matters.

Freshfields provides a full-service contentious tax offering with noted experience advising on high-value disputes involving issues such as transfer pricing. Its impressive clientele includes notable global companies, and it is well known for its handling of complex matters in international markets. The team has additional sector expertise within the energy sector and for financial institutions.

Joseph Hage Aaronson has high-quality expertise in UK and EU tax disputes. It has a dedicated team made up of highly regarded specialists in tax litigation, noted for their comprehensive grasp of tax issues, including regular work on group litigation orders. The firm services a number of key clients in the financial services, media, manufacturing and retail sectors. The team is proficient in acting for individuals, as well as high-profile multinational organisations, and has strong overseas expertise in acting for a variety of international companies on cross-border matters including fund disputes and tax fraud.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer represents clients in a comprehensive range of direct and indirect tax matters, with experience in areas such as M&A, real estate and investment funds. It has notable experience advising clients from the energy and financial services sectors, including a large number of FTSE-listed companies. The team handles contentious and non-contentious matters both in the UK and internationally.

Ashurst is well reputed in the tax sphere for major transactional work and for acting on cross-border advisory matters. The team has broad expertise and advises asset managers on fund structuring, assists with the tax aspects of high-value real estate transactions and gives tax advice on large M&A mandates. It counts alternative asset managers and multinational corporations among its clientele.

Pinsent Masons has a strong team that advises a number of large international clients on their disputes with HMRC. The firm has deep expertise in domestic and international tax legislation and is regarded highly for its ability to discreetly resolve conflicts before trial. Its lawyers frequently handle matters for clients within the financial, retail, energy and technology industries.

Stewarts has a broad team of tax litigators supporting corporate and individual clients in both direct and indirect tax disputes. The firm's areas of expertise include litigation relating to tax avoidance schemes, the tax treatment of employee benefits, and VAT.

The team at Norton Rose Fulbright has extensive experience advising on a wide array of domestic and international tax matters including M&A activity, restructurings and refinancings. The team is able to advise on large, multi-jurisdictional matters through its large network of international offices, and it is noted for its diverse practice, which encompasses energy, telecommunications, real estate and infrastructure expertise.

Quinn Emanuel is a litigation boutique with a strong tax disputes practice. The firm is known for its work for large international corporates on complex domestic and cross-border matters. The team is equally capable when advising on disputes relating to direct and indirect tax.