DLA Piper advises a broad roster of high-profile clients, including private companies, public sector bodies and financial institutions, and has notable expertise in multinational group and real estate tax structuring. The department is led by veteran tax expert Mark Burgess, who specialises in both corporate and real estate tax and is supported by legal director Nick Hinton, who shares this focus. Hinton is also familiar with employee incentive share options and other employee benefits. Both Hinton and Burgess are based in the firm’s Birmingham office.
Corporate tax in West Midlands
DLA Piper
Practice head(s):
Mark Burgess
Other key lawyers:
Nick Hinton
Testimonials
‘I found the corporate tax team at DLA Piper to be responsive. They give commercially-focused, targeted advice on complex matters. The team were willing and able to adjust their focus to the level of the individual client; recognising and acknowledging the correct level to pitch advice at depending on who they are dealing with. Uniquely strong technically, and from a client care perspective.’
‘Nick Hinton is technically excellent and able to articulate complicated concepts in a digestible and straightforward manner. Nick took the initiative to work directly and independently with tax counterparts on transactional matters without needing oversight from the client, but always working within client-set timetables.’
Key clients
John Lewis Partnership Pension Fund
Prologis
MKS Instruments, Inc
NatWest Group
Universities Superannuation Scheme
Dignity plc
Deloitte
Aviva
AXA
Sytner Group
Harrison Street Real Estate
Elliott Advisers
HS2
Work highlights
- Advising MKS Instruments on the tax aspects of its acquisition of Atotech, a multinational group.
- Assisting a manufacturer and retailer in ongoing global IP transfers, including high street brands and related IP.
- Advising several sporting clubs on transactions in the sports sector.
DWF
Led by seasoned practitioner Jon Stevens, DWF’s corporate tax practice regularly advises on M&A, share schemes and private equity deals, handling matters generated by its offices in Birmingham and London. The firm also takes on tax litigation cases, such as London Luton Hotel BPRA’s Court of Appeal case against HMRC. This strength in contentious matters is bolstered by legal director Tajinder Barring, who has experience representing both corporates and high-net-worth individuals in direct and indirect HMRC investigations and disputes. Another key name to note is associate Alex Tolcher, who focuses on the tax aspects of high-value property and corporate matters. In notable developments, Tolcher recently qualified as a Chartered Tax Advisor and Amy Deal, a senior paralegal from HMRC, joined the firm.
Practice head(s):
Jon Stevens
Other key lawyers:
Tajinder Barring; Alex Tolcher; Amy Deal
Key clients
LXi REIT PLC
Home REIT PLC
Whitbread Group PLC
Crisp Thinking Group Limited
Ares Management
MJ Quinn Integrated Services Limited
Kin and Carta PLC
Panattoni Development
BT Group PLC
Shell PLC
Work highlights
- Advising on London Luton Hotel BPRA’s appeal to the Court of Appeal in a major tax case concerning BPRA.
- Advising Whitbread, a longstanding client, on multiple tax matters, including the Hub at Old Marylebone Road.
- Advising the shareholders of Crisp Thinking Group on the high-value disposal of Crisp Thinking to Kroll International.
Parisi Tax LLP
Tax boutique Parisi Tax LLP is highlighted for its ‘excellent understanding of corporate tax’, combining ‘commercial knowledge’ with ‘client communication skills’ to offer specialist tax advice to private companies, business owners and management teams. The firm has experience in M&A, reorganisations, property tax, employee share incentives and private equity deals. Lisa Stevenson, founder of the firm, co-leads the practice with Becky Rees. Stevenson is recognised for her management team tax planning and engagement with significant transactions, and works closely with corporate finance companies, while Rees has broad tax experience including in share incentive planning and M&A. Jon Robinson, based in Leeds, is ‘technically excellent’ and ‘delivers prompt, commercially focused tax advice’.
Practice head(s):
Lisa Stevenson; Becky Rees
Other key lawyers:
Jon Robinson
Testimonials
‘Excellent understanding of Corporate Tax law, good commercial knowledge, good client communication skills.’
‘The whole Parisi team are not only technically excellent, they are super responsive, pragmatic and provide their advice in simple clear language. We rely on Parisi to provide all of our legal tax support and they never let us down.’
‘Lisa Stevenson and Jon Robinson are the two key individuals I work with but others in the team slot in seamlessly. The whole Parisi Team are simply an extension of our team and never fail to deliver.’
‘Excellent service of focused property tax advice.’
‘Jon Robinson is responsive, technically excellent and delivers prompt and commercially focused tax advice.’
‘Competitive pricing. Excellent understanding of Coporate Tax, proactive, provide pragmatic advice.’
Key clients
Minor Figures Limited
Actica Holdings
Demma Group Limited
Activate Solutions Group Limited
Prism Healthcare
Inspired Thinking Group Holdings Limited
Mam Tor Productions Limited
Threads Styling Limited
JoJo Maman Bébé Limited
Somit Solutions Limited
Work highlights
- Acted for two individuals in the sale of Actica Holdings to a sovereign capital-backed new company.
- Advised Mam Tor Productions and its shareholders on the tax aspects of its sale to Banijay.
- Advised the founder and CEO on the sale of her majority stake (as part of a sale of 100% of the share capital) in leading retailer JoJo Maman Bébé.
Browne Jacobson LLP
Browne Jacobson LLP regularly provides structuring and transactional advice in the context of M&A and property deals, and assists public sector and not-for-profits in a number of tax and property matters. The firm is also active in employee incentive schemes. Andrew Noble, a chartered tax adviser and solicitor, leads the practice from Birmingham. Legal director Beth Dowson, based in Nottingham, focuses on property tax, employee share schemes and corporate transactions, with a particular emphasis on retail clients, and senior associate Rebecca Burge specialises in corporate and real estate tax, EIS compliance and employee share incentives.
Practice head(s):
Andrew Noble
Other key lawyers:
Rebecca Burge; Beth Dowson
Key clients
MSQ Partners Limited
Birmingham City Council
C7 Health Limited
London Borough of Enfield
Harlow District Council
Clydesdale Bank
Lloyds Development Capital (Holdings) Ltd
Shareholders of Charles Pugh Holdings Limited
RCapital Partners LLP
Shareholders of Blue Light Card
Mills & Reeve LLP
With a varied client list including private businesses, public sector organisations and NGOs, Mills & Reeve LLP’s tax practice supports across a range of matters often relating to M&A, real estate and banking transactions, share incentive structures, employment and investments. Kevin Lowe, a chartered tax adviser, leads the national corporate tax team, while Neil Pearson, specialising in social investment, venture capital schemes and employee share ownership, and Matthew Short, who heads the real estate and charity tax areas, co-lead the regional practice. Senior associate Carrie Ferris has broad experience but is particularly focused on employment tax and share incentives.
Practice head(s):
Kevin Lowe; Neil Pearson; Matthew Short
Other key lawyers:
Carrie Ferris
Testimonials
‘Practical advice with the client in mind.’
‘Mills and Reeve offered a professional resource of expert HMRC and more specifically IR-35 knowledge.’
‘Kevin Lowe offered a unique and knowledgeable perspective on IR-35 legislation. Kevin’s expert knowledge reassured us that we were doing the right thing based on the current government legislation. All questions were answered quickly.’
‘Kevin Lowe – Excellemt knowledge of his area of expertise.’
Key clients
Bango Plc
SAS International
KLM UK Engineering
Imperial College Health Partners
Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations
The Institute of Engineering and Technology
Midwich Group plc
Puratos NV
Sapphiros U.K.
Money Advice Trust
Higgs LLP
Advising corporates, owner-managed businesses and high-net-worth individuals, Higgs LLP, based in Brierley Hill, is highly regarded for its support in corporate transactions, property tax and planning. Susheel Gupta leads the practice and has specialist expertise in corporate taxation, assisting in transactions, restructurings, employee incentive schemes and tax planning structures. Richard Ferguson, legal director, continues to strengthen the team’s property tax capacity, and senior associate Jonathan Hunter concentrates his practice on corporation, capital gains and income tax.
Practice head(s):
Susheel Gupta
Other key lawyers:
Jonathan Hunter; Richard Ferguson
Testimonials
‘Excellent team.’
Key clients
La Maison Bleue/Old Station Nursery
Serchem Limited
Technology Blueprint
Bond Wolfe Finance Limited
Elta Group
Salopian Brewing Company Holdings Limited
Purity Brewing Group Limited
Shareholders of Concept Information Technology Limited
United Care Group Limited
Shareholders of Marine Space Limited
Hockley Mint
Aston Care Group
Work highlights
- Acting as sole legal advisor in the UK to The Old Station Nursery (OSN) on its acquisition programme, completing four acquisitions for OSN over 12 months, adding 18 nurseries to its portfolio.
- Instructed to act for Technology Blueprint in respect of the pre-sale reorganisation of the company involving bringing its Indian associated company within the UK group and its subsequent sale of the whole of the share capital of the group.
- Acted for the shareholders on the sale of their share capital of MarineSpace to ERM-Europe, providing tax support, including writing to HMRC to resolve historic share incentivisation issues.