Northern Circuit
Exchange Chambers ‘houses some of the best talent in Manchester’ for professional negligence work. George Rowell is noted particularly for his experience handling claims against accountants and tax advisers, though acts in claims involving independent financial advisers, solicitors, and surveyors as well. Lawrence McDonald’s professional negligence work is usually property related, involving solicitors, barristers, surveyors, valuers, architects, and contractors, among other professionals.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Work Department
Commercial
Position
George is a commercial barrister specialising in tax disputes, professional negligence and insolvency. He combines heavy-weight advocacy experience with in-depth tax and commercial knowledge. In the field of tax he regularly advises on VAT, IHT, CGT, employment-related taxes, and penalties. His professional negligence practice has a particular focus on claims against accountants, tax advisors and IFAs. He also has a growing specialism in insolvency and directors’ misfeasance cases, especially where there is a tax dimension such as a failed tax avoidance scheme.
George commenced his career in-house with HMRC before moving to independent practice. He was a member of the Attorney-General’s Regional Panel of Counsel between 2008 and 2021 and regularly appeared for HMRC and other Government departments. He recently decided not to apply to renew his membership of the Panel, so as to concentrate on representing businesses, directors, trustees and private clients.
George is co-author of a division of Simon’s Taxes and Tax Penalties: A Practioner’s Guide (Sweet & Maxwell, 2nd edn 2019).
Career
Magdalen College, Oxford (MA Oxon); City University, London (MA in Law)
Call: 2004
Memberships
- Northern Chancery Bar Association
- Bar Pro Bono Unit
Education
- MA (Oxon), Dip. Law, MA in Law (City)
Content supplied by Exchange Chambers
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Nick Buckley is a truly exceptional clerk - he is helpful at all times with a very pragmatic approach to fees. A pleasure to deal with.'
- 'Ian Spencer is a pleasure to work with. He is always very commercial and punctual in his responses.'
- 'The service at Exchange is exceptional and that is down to Nick Buckley.'
- 'Exchange houses some of the best talent in Manchester - always a pleasure to work with.'
- 'They always offer a good service and have a range of good practitioners.'
- 'They have a very good range of people at all levels.'