The Legal 500

Allen & Overy Luxembourg provides integrated global tax advisory services to clients, and also advises the Luxembourg regulatory authorities and industry groups such as the Luxembourg Bankers’ Association and the Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry. Tax specialist Jean Schaffner heads the Luxembourg practice, and is ably supported by Patrick Mischo and counsel Gérard Neiens. Jean-Luc Fisch joined Elvinger, Hoss & Prussen in 2012.

Arendt & Medernach excels at developing tax-efficient structures for corporate and finance transactions. Its advice is ‘always lucid and concise and we always feel confident that it is technically correct’. Thierry Lesage has ‘great technical ability, but will make it simple when he can’. Alain Goebel has ‘superb tax knowledge’, and Eric Fort is also recommended. Laurent Schummer joined from Linklaters LLP in 2012.

Baker & McKenzie Luxembourg’s Luxembourg tax group has grown substantially recently, notably with Christophe Clément joining from Clifford Chance and tax director Amar Hamouche arriving from Ernst & Young. The firm advises expertly on the tax implications of wealth or asset management, structured finance, company reorganisations, and fund structures. André Pesch is ‘an absolutely brilliant, seasoned, articulate tax lawyer who gives very straightforward advice and solutions’.

Bonn Steichen & Partners is ‘the best firm in Luxembourg for tax’, according to one client. It advises on the structuring of transactions as well as strategic tax planning. Alain Steichen, Jean Steffen and senior counsel Christine Beernaerts are recommended.

Elvinger, Hoss & Prussen has invested heavily in its tax capability, recruiting Jean-Luc Fisch from Allen & Overy Luxembourg and counsel Olivier Gaston-Braud from Molitor Avocats à la Cour. The team recently advised Deutsche Bank AG London on the tax issues pertaining to its role as arranger of several structured securities offerings, and advised on the tax aspects of the Darby Converging Europe III (SCS) SICAR. Tax specialist Dirk Richter is highly recommended.

Loyens & Loeff, which provides ‘an excellent service’, advised Round Hill Capital on the Luxembourg tax issues of buying the Nido student accommodation business from Blackstone. Jean-Pierre Winandy heads the department, which includes the highly regarded Simon Paul and Peter Moons, whose ‘performance is outstanding’.

CMS is ‘a very good provider of tax advisory services which offers an alternative to the established law firms through the very good quality of work, reasonable pricing, responsiveness and business orientation’. Recent work includes advising on tax efficient exit (hybrid) financing instruments and a debt refinancing via the issuance of bonds. Diogo Duarte de Oliveira is ‘an outstanding tax lawyer’, who has ‘very good soft skills, is highly committed and technically prepared’.

Clifford Chance advises on tax matters relating to corporate, financing, investment and real estate transactions, as well as transfer pricing, VAT and other indirect taxes. The team advised AEW Europe on the merger of its three existing logistics funds. Practice head François-Xavier Dujardin and counsel Vincent Marquis are recommended.

NautaDutilh recently advised AnaCap on tax optimisation schemes; and BlackRock Lux Finco and BlackRock Operations Luxembourg on the new transfer pricing regulations. One clients describes the practice as ‘fair and smart. It may not be the biggest, but we were really impressed by its overall capability’. Christophe Joosen has ‘a good balance of technical knowledge of the tax situation in and outside Luxembourg’, and Jean-Marc Groelly is ‘absolutely excellent – easy to deal with, a pragmatic lawyer, able to deal effectively with complex issues across jurisdictions, and offers creative solutions’.

OPF Partners advised Terra Firma Capital Partners on the tax implications of its acquisition of Four Seasons, and assisted with the structuring of ICG’s Europe Fund V. Managing partner and practice head Frédéric Feyten is ‘responsive and creative’. He is supported by principals Christine Ntumba and Caroline Bormans.

Stibbe launched its tax practice in 2011, but already has an enviable client list that includes Barnes & Noble, Oaktree Capital Management, ArcelorMittal, Verizon, Nomura, and Crédit Agricole. The practice focuses on private equity and venture capital work structured through Luxembourg. Practice head Ayzo van Eysinga and Paul Tulcinsky are recommended.

Lionel Noguera heads Bonn & Schmitt’s tax practice, which has advised clients such as Qatar Airways, American Express and SS&G Technologies on tax structuring.

Linklaters LLP’s tax department responded to a challenging period by adding real estate taxation expert Olivier Van Ermengem from the firm’s Brussels office to head the Luxembourg tax group. The team recently acted for Axa REIM in establishing a Luxembourg regulated real estate fund. Laurent Schummer joined Arendt & Medernach in 2012.

M Partners’ Herman Troskie has experience in international tax planning, with a focus on European investment structures.

MNKS launched its tax practice in 2011 under the leadership of tax specialist and senior associate Raquel Guevara, who previously worked for a Big Five audit firm in Luxembourg and Spain.

Tax is a core focus for Tabery & Wauthier, where Serge Tabery and Véronique Wauthier are both experienced tax law advisers. Clients appreciate the team’s ‘responsiveness, clear advice, quick understanding and pragmatic approach’.

Vandenbulke’s Denis Van den Bulke is well regarded for his international tax practice. The practice hired Frédéric Paget from his position as in-house tax counsel at a private bank.

David Maria heads Wildgen, Partners in Law’s tax group, which recently advised an oil and gas sector holding group on the tax optimisation of profits repatriation.