Howard Watkinson > Chambers of Andrew Burns KC > London, England > Barrister Profile
Devereux Offices
Devereux
QUEEN ELIZABETH BUILDING, TEMPLE
LONDON
EC4Y 9BS
England
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Howard Watkinson
Career
Howard is an experienced specialist in tax, excise and other customs duties, public law, business crime, anti-money laundering regulations, health & safety, and regulatory work. He is regularly instructed in the Tax Tribunals, Administrative Court, and Crown Court.
Howard’s significant tax practice has seen him advise on and appear in cases concerning most aspects of VAT. Howard also has an increasing direct tax practice and is currently instructed in various corporation tax and pension scheme cases.
Complementary to his tax practice, Howard has significant expertise in business crime. He specialises in advisory and advocacy work in civil and criminal fraud cases, with particular expertise in allegations of fraud and other wrongdoing associated with VAT, excise and other customs duties.
Howard is a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel of Counsel.
Memberships
Attorney General’s A Panel of Counsel
SFO Prosecution and Proceeds of Crime Panel B
CPS Organised Crime, Specialist Fraud and Proceeds of Crime Level 2
Appointed as a fee-paid judge of the First-tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber)
Education
Hardwicke Scholar & Lord Denning Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn
BVC (Outstanding), BPP Law School
BA Hons in English (1st Class), Peterhouse, Cambridge University
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Tax: VAT and excise
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 3Devereux‘s members act for taxpayers and the government across the entire spectrum of direct and indirect tax-related mandates. The set is home to Felicity Cullen KC, who regularly advises owner managed businesses, and Barrie Akin, who acted for the taxpayer in Mitchell and Bell v HMRC, a Court of Appeal case concerning whether the taxpayer was allowed to see documents relating to a business partner in Personal Liability Notice proceedings. Marika Lemos often represents HMRC in complex cases such as Carter & Kennedy v HMRC, an appeal by the taxpayer against the decision of the First-Tier Tribunal regarding the ‘hypothetical officer test’, which found that the discovery assessment issued to the taxpayer was valid. Howard Watkinson is another key member of the set, which saw the addition of Max Schofield in January 2023 with expertise in representing large multinationals and start-up companies.