David Pickstone > Stewarts Law LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Stewarts Law LLP Offices

Stewarts Law LLP
5 NEW STREET SQUARE
LONDON
EC4A 3BF
England
Visit website 020 7822 8000 020 7822 8037

David Pickstone

David Pickstone photo
020 7936 8178 [email protected] View profile

Work Department

Tax Litigation and Resolution

Position

Partner and Head of the Tax Litigation department.

David specialises in complex tax disputes with HMRC and commercial parties before the Tax Tribunals, UK and European Courts. He acts for a large number of high net worth individuals as well as various corporate clients across a range of sectors.

David has acted on numerous high-profile direct and indirect tax cases before the courts and Tax Tribunals, including two cases before the Supreme Court. In addition to his vast experience in HMRC litigation, David also acts in professional negligence and mis-selling actions and other tax-related commercial litigation.

In addition to David’s substantial tax practice, David has also acted in numerous public law cases, many of which arose from his tax client base. These have included two judicial review challenges which proceeded to the Supreme Court (Prudential and Davies & James / Gaines-Cooper), and one to the Court of Appeal (Shiner). David also acted in the States of Jersey’s judicial review against the UK government, which was widely covered in the media at the time.

David’s experience includes:

  • Running the well-publicised Prudential privilege litigation from the High Court to Supreme Court
  • Acting in the Littlewoods compound interest litigation before the High Court
  • Conducting the Stamp Taxes Group Litigation Order for the claimants
  • Acting for a number of FTSE100 companies in the FII and dividend Group Litigation Orders
  • Acting in the residency judicial review Davies and James/Gaines-Cooper, which also reached the Supreme Court

Career

David joined Stewarts as a partner in 2014 to establish the Tax Litigation and Investigations department having spent 10 years as a tax litigation lawyer at PwC Legal.

Personal

David enjoys spending time with his young family, playing tennis (not well), a glass of wine or two and the outdoors.

Leisure

Tennis, gardening, photography, all taking a back seat since the birth of his first child at the end of 2014.

Lawyer Rankings

London > Dispute resolution > Group litigation: Claimant

(Leading partners)

David Pickstone – Stewarts Law LLP

A leading firm in securities claims and group litigation stemming from the misselling of financial products, Stewarts Law LLP has a successful track record acting for claimants against financial institutions, investment banks and major corporations. Fraud and professional negligence claims are particular areas of expertise, as well as tax disputes and competition litigation. ‘Excellent strategist’ David Pickstone and ‘superb lawyer and litigator’ Kate Pollock lead the firm’s group actions offering, alongside Keith Thomas, who also heads the securities litigation practice. Harry McGowan also specialises in securities claims, while Stuart Carson focuses his practice on competition litigation. Aaron Le Marquer spearheads claims related to COVID-19 business interruption insurance. Alex Lerner boasts particular expertise in group litigation arising from the mis-selling of financial products. Further key names to note include Elaina Bailes, Lorraine Lanceley and Elisa Wahnon.

London > Insurance > Professional negligence

(Leading partners)

David Pickstone   – Stewarts Law LLP

Stewarts Law LLP houses a team that possesses ‘excellent experience in professional negligence claims concerning tax products’. Practice head David Pickstone is a skilled tax litigator with extensive experience handling associated professional liability claims. Alex Lerner is ‘an outstanding lawyer’ who acts for both claimants and defendants in matters relating to the financial sector. James Le Gallais is another prominent member of the team. Darren Kidd left the firm in July 2023.

London > Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations

Stewarts Law LLP represents individuals and corporate clients in the full range of tax disputes, including professional negligence claims. The group is praised for its ‘second to none technical expertise’, which it utilises across the financial services, transport, and consumer goods sectors, among others. David Pickstone leads the team, and has significant experience in both litigation and out-of-court negotiations. Additions to the team over the course of 2023 include Giles Salmond, an expert in indirect tax who joined from Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP, and Matthew Greene, formerly of Osborne Clarke LLP.

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