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  1. Private client: personal tax – Leading Sets
  2. Private client: personal tax – Leading Silks
  3. Private client: personal tax – Leading Juniors

Pump Court Tax Chambers is ‘without doubt the leading chambers for tax’, ‘where the tone is very much set by the commercial acumen of its head clerk, Nigel Jones’. William Massey QC offers ‘outstanding advice’ on capital taxes, and is regarded as ‘the leading specialist on agricultural and business property reliefs for inheritance tax’. Andrew Thornhill QC is ‘technically and personally very gifted’ and ‘pre-eminent in the field’. Other silks of note include Julian Ghosh QC, Kevin Prosser QC, David Ewart QC and Giles Goodfellow QC. Recommended juniors include Emma Chamberlain (who has ‘tremendous strength in terms of intellect, energy and originality’); James Rivett (‘undoubtedly a star among his peers in taxation matters’); Richard Vallat (who ‘offers a first-class service’); and Elizabeth Wilson.

Gray’s Inn Tax Chambers has ‘exceptional depth and breadth of knowledge’ on personal tax matters. Michael Flesch QC and Philip Baker QC provide ‘an excellent service, good response times, and clear and balanced advice on very technical aspects’. David Goldberg QC and David Goy QC are also recommended. At junior level, Aparna Nathan provides ‘consistently good advice on complex tax issues particularly of an international nature’, and Milton Grundy and Patrick Soares are also recommended.

15 Old Square is recommended to ‘clients requiring sound tax advice that stands the test of time yet is both creative and grounded in business acumen’. The clerking is also ‘exceptionally attentive yet not intrusive’. James Kessler QC is ‘the leading authority on the taxation of non-UK domiciliaries, and is absolutely first-rate at the taxation of UK as well as offshore trusts’. Robert Venables QC is also recommended. Stephen Brandon QC has ‘technical knowledge across the whole spectrum of taxes, and his analytical skills are excellent’. Amanda Hardy ‘provides in-depth advice which can be relied upon in complex cases’.

At 5 Stone Buildings, ‘everyone from the QCs down to the clerks is on hand to provide an excellent service’, including Christopher Whitehouse and Leon Sartin, who is ‘quietly effective, reliable and always available’.

11 New Square is a set dedicated to both indirect and direct tax law, with individuals of note including Francis Fitzpatrick and Jonathan Peacock QC.

At Maitland Chambers, Christopher McCall QC is praised for his ‘technical expertise and incisive thinking’.

Wilberforce Chambers’ Michael Furness QC recently acted in David Mayes v HMRC.

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