Adam Craggs > RPC > London, England > Lawyer Profile

RPC has an ‘extremely hard working and disciplined team’ that supports clients across the full range tax disputes, encompassing the whole spectrum of VAT and indirect tax work, including mandates with multi-jurisdictional elements. The group has also witnessed in increase in judicial review cases against HMRC, as well as investigations. Adam Craggs chairs the team with significant experience in tax disputes involving VAT fraud. Robert Waterson is another tax dispute expert, having represented clients before all levels of the UK courts and Tax Tribunals, as well as the CJEU. In team news, senior associate Liam McKay joined the team in June 2022 from HMRC.

RPC acts for a range of clients, from SMEs to PLCs, on regulatory and compliance matters, as well as contentious issues, such as civil and criminal HMRC investigations, and litigation. Adam Craggs heads the practice with over 30 years’ experience in both direct and indirect tax dispute resolution mandates, including customs and excise disputes and is supported by Michelle Sloane, who has represented clients before the Tax Tribunals, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and CJEU; she acts for corporates and high-net-worth individuals. Robert Waterson is another contact for tax disputes, including those with multi-jurisdictional aspects, and the team was recently bolstered at the junior level with the arrival of Liam McKay, who joined as senior associate from HMRC Solicitor’s Office in May 2022.

RPC handles a diverse range of complex challenges against public bodies, with recent highlights including judicial reviews spanning issues such as the legality of search warrants and powers of arrest, as well as a ground-breaking class action against HMRC’s anti-avoidance powers and pensions law. The practice is headed up by the significantly experienced Adam Craggs, who has particular expertise in challenging the decisions of regulatory and investigative bodies.

RPC offers a full-service tax disputes practice with expertise in the full range of areas, from dawn raids and criminal investigations to tax litigation and transfer pricing disputes. Department head Adam Craggs has over 30 years’ experience in direct and indirect tax disputes and is an accredited mediator. Robert Waterson‘s practice is focused on multijurisdictional disputes, including those involving issues of public and EU law. Michelle Sloane advises on both civil and criminal tax matters, with experience at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Senior associate Harry Smith has broad sector expertise and advises on both domestic and international tax matters.

Recommended for its ability to defend clients against allegations of tax fraud brought by HMRC and other domestic enforcement agencies, the RPC team is ‘tenacious, innovative, and brilliantly aggressive’. The practice is well equipped to represent individuals from the art, real estate, and extractive industries, with considerable expertise in handling financial crime matters and internal investigations. Adam Craggs and Sam Tate co-head the group; Craggs is an expert on criminal tax prosecutions, while Tate specialises in political financial crime issues. Davina Given concentrates on money laundering and sanctions compliance, while Michelle Sloane focuses on HMRC criminal investigations.

With the investigations technology and client data team being fully integrated into RPC’s white-collar crime practice, the ‘commercially minded’ team offers strong tech-related financial crime advice to a global client-base. The firm also demonstrates a growing presence in the financial trade sanctions arena, acting in the first case before the Commercial Court regarding the interpretation of Russian trade sanctions. The head, Sam Tate, is a ‘walking encyclopedia’, routinely being instructed on political financial crime matters and negotiating DPAs with the SFO, whilst Adam Craggs has expertise in criminal tax proceedings. Davina Given focuses on sanctions and regulatory matters, and Jonathan Cary concentrates on finance disputes. Michelle Sloane is an expert on financial crime litigation, the ’unflappable’ senior associate Lucy Kerr covers all aspects of compliance and policy matters.

RPC‘s sports group and commercial division chief Jeremy Drew is a key contact for a range of clients – including rugby teams, sports data companies, sports investors, sports consultancy companies and football clubs – on a diverse array of matters that includes litigations and commercial agreements. Oliver Bray works with social media clients on issues that intersect social media with sport. Tax specialists Adam Craggs and Michelle Sloane support Drew in advising clients, such as football clubs, on contentious tax matters concerning player transfers and agent fees. Josh Charalambous is a key name to note at the junior end, while Samuel Coppard focuses on soft IP infringement issues in the sports sector.