Best Lawyers in Australia for Tax Law
Practice Area Overview
Taxes are levied by the State and Federal governments. At a state level there are payroll taxes imposed on employers in respect of salaries paid to employees, land tax imposed on landowners, and duty imposed on a transactional basis. At the Federal level there is income tax, capital gains tax on dealings in assets and goods, and services tax to name a few.
Tax lawyers work within both traditional law firms and multi-disciplinary practices. The role of a tax lawyer is to assist both individuals and businesses to navigate the complex tax landscape and apply it to their circumstances. The role of a tax lawyer involves both advisory and dispute management services.
From an advisory perspective, tax lawyers assist clients to:
- Understand the tax implications of transactions and arrangements they have entered or propose to enter.
- Seek assurance or guidance from a revenue authority where certainty is desired on the application of a tax law to a particular client’s circumstances.
- Negotiate the terms of transactions and arrangements to give effect to the intended taxation consequences.
- Implement their transactions and arrangements in an optimal manner having regard to the client’s personal or commercial interests and the taxation consequences.
- Manage actual and anticipated tax risks that arise, including technical, strategic, and reputational issues.
From a dispute management perspective tax lawyers assist clients to:
- Manage and respond to revenue authority reviews of their tax position (for example, a regulatory audit of a taxpayer’s tax liability for an income year).
- Challenge the revenue authority view of the application of a tax law to the client’s circumstances through internal review and independent review avenues, including alternative dispute resolution and litigation.
- Manage and minimise their penalty exposures in relation to any historic underpayment of tax liabilities.
The practice of tax law requires a broad understanding of the legal landscape as the resolution of many taxation issues is resolved not only by reference to tax laws but also the broader legal framework, for example, the law of property, contracts, and equity.
Experienced tax lawyers are also often involved in the development of, and consultation in relation to, legislative and regulatory changes to tax law. Sometimes tax lawyers are active in advocating for legislative amendments where existing law is inadequate or impractical.
David Anderson is a Director at Speed and Stracey Lawyer who advises on complex tax issues and provides strategic estate and business succession planning for individuals, families and associated entities. Specialising in tax advisory, including domestic and international tax issues, tax audits and tax controversy and resolution. Member of the Challis Tax Discussion Group and a member (TEP) of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) 2019. Recognised in 2019 Edition of "Best Lawyer...
Matthew is a taxation and superannuation specialist. He works primarily with accountants, business owners, high net worth individuals and large family groups on commercial transactions, business and asset restructures, estate and succession planning and other issues involving taxation and superannuation.
Arthur is a Partner in Thomson Geer's tax practice and his focus is on getting cost-effective results. He has developed an enviable reputation for his strategic-thinking, decision-making, and negotiating positive outcomes for clients in dispute with government, and as a practitioner focused on dispute resolution. His main area of practice is taxation advisory, tax audits, dispute resolution and litigation. In more than 25 years’ of experience as a legal practitioner, Arthur has focused ...
Megan is a taxation partner with more than 12 years’ experience in state and federal tax dispute resolution. Megan is recognised for her technical expertise and focus on finding solutions that are in line with client objectives. She has assisted private and public companies, not-for-profit entities, individuals, trusts, partnerships and superannuation funds to navigate and manage state, federal and inter-jurisdictional tax issues, including: ruling requests and voluntary disclosures ATO...
Mark is an experienced and reliable silk practising in tax, equity and trusts, commercial law, public and administrative law, and professional regulation. His clients include individuals, trustees, corporations and government authorities. He is sought out in particular for advice on international, Federal and State taxation and on trusts in tax and non-tax situations. He holds a PhD from Sydney in international tax law and teaches advanced international tax in the Melbourne Law Masters progra...
Phil heads Sladen Legal’s superannuation team. He is a member (and past member) of multiple superannuation related committees, and is a regular author and presenter. He regularly liaises with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and Treasury in relation the implementation and administration of the superannuation laws. Phil’s clients include private business owners, accountants, financial planners, self managed superannuation fund (SMSF) trustees and high and medium net worth indiv...
Neil is a Principal in the business law area, with a particular focus on taxation advice and disputes. Taxation law is a complex area. Neil’s aim is to provide technical expertise to clients, commercially applied and in a friendly and approachable manner. Neil’s practice involves advice, audits, disputes, and transactions. The client mix includes both family groups and business enterprises. Neil also regularly assists professional advisors, including tax agents, accountants and fi...
Will is a taxation specialist at Piper Alderman who provides state, federal and international taxation advice to a range of corporate, commercial and private clients. Much of Will’s work involves the provision of specialist taxation advice in the context of corporate restructures, business sale transactions and private client advisory. Will also advises the charities sector in relation to a range of taxation and governance issues. In addition to advisory work, Will also manages disputes...
Lyndon is a qualified lawyer, chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser who advises on GST, payroll tax, land tax, income tax, capital gains tax and the establishment of private ancillary foundations. His diverse experience in dealing with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) from an accounting and a legal perspective has given him a valuable insight into the motivation of agencies. Lyndon has acted for clients from diverse backgrounds in a wide range of industries, including the non-pro...
Fletch draws on his experience managing tax and customs disputes to provide his clients with clear, practical tax advice across a range of commercial issues. Fletch’s technical specialisations include income tax (including international tax and residency issues), GST, payroll tax and customs duties. In managing clients’ tax and customs disputes, Fletch helps with the audit stages, ATO interviews, notices of objection, appeals in the AAT, QCAT, Federal Court and Supreme Court. In r...
Frank advises his clients on direct taxes, international structuring and taxation, business transactions, corporate restructuring, taxation disputes and the not-for-profit sector. His clients include private and public companies, small-to-medium enterprises, high-net-worth individuals, family groups and not-for-profit organisations. Frank is the current Secretary of Australian Business in Europe (ABIE) Australia and is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and a Chartered Tax Adviser of T...
George is a taxation and transaction advisory specialist. George acts for a range of clients in relation to their obligations under federal, state and international taxation systems, corporations law and regulatory matters in various sectors including government, funds management, financial services, energy & resources, agriculture, property development and not for profit. George advises private, public, government and not for profit clients on taxation matters, structuring, mergers and a...
Keith is a key figure in tax advisory, having been in significant roles within the profession for over 20 years. He was appointed by the Federal Government to the Board of Taxation in March 2004 and was appointed Deputy Chair in May 2011. Keith’s involvement with the tax profession has extended to Chairman of the Public Accountants Committee, Victorian President, National Councillor and Chairman of the Taxation Centre of Excellence and the National Tax Advisory Committee for CPA Austral...
Ron principally consults on Commonwealth and State tax laws, tax dispute resolution and compliance enforcement. Ron specialises in complex trusts and trust disputes, succession and asset protection, business and investment structuring and tax sensitive commercial and property transactions for high wealth families, privately own businesses and small to medium enterprises. He is a member of the Law institute of Victoria, the Law society of Tasmania and The Tax Institute. Ron is a Chartered Tax ...
Chris Kinsella is recognised as one of Australia’s leading tax lawyers and has provided strategic tax advice to corporations, boards, business owners and the ATO for more than 35 years. Chris has a focus on tax risk and with managing tax audits and disputes with the Commissioner of Taxation. Chris has acted both for and against the Commissioner. Chris is accredited as a specialist in dispute resolution with the Law Society of New South Wales. He has been a member of the Number One Tax D...
Michael is a qualified lawyer, with over ten years’ experience advising on taxation matters in roles with leading Australian law firms and the major international accounting firms. Michael specialises in transaction taxation and structuring as well as litigious disputes with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Michael has acted for publicly listed and large private groups in both buy side and sell side transactions, as well as major restructures and corporate dealings. His transaction...
Andrew provides advice on the application of a wide range of taxation. He has substantial knowledge of taxation and commercial practice and advises his clients on income tax, capital gains tax, tax audits and reviews, fringe benefits tax, business structuring and transactions, liquidations and reconstructions, superannuation, retirement planning, business succession, estate planning, and philanthropy. Andrew advises accounting and legal firms on their clients’ affairs. He also draws cli...
Marc joined Garry Winter and Dimitris Parhas in 2015 and founded WRP Legal & Advisory following a career starting in a Big 4 accounting firm and progressing to partner through a number of large commercial law firms in Adelaide. Marc is an experienced commercial lawyer who is highly accessible and dedicated, serving an expansive client base including ASX-listed clients, small to large private enterprises and high net worth individuals across varying industries. Clients turn to Marc for his...
Peter Slegers leads Cowell Clarke’s Tax & Revenue and Agribusiness teams. Peter has more than twenty years’ experience in advising on tax and superannuation law, private and public trusts, succession planning, and supporting clients with reviews and audits from the Australian Taxation Office. Peter has also delivered comprehensive advice and guidance to clients within the agribusiness sector on matters from restructuring to succession planning. Peter recently co-authored The T...
Daniel enjoys solving complex taxation and trust law issues for private enterprises who share his entrepreneurial spirit. He is a trusted confidant in designing and implementing robust personal and business succession plans. Daniel’s commitment to protecting and enhancing the commercial and personal interests of his clients consistently delivers great outcomes. Daniel is a Chartered Tax Advisor with The Tax Institute, accredited as a specialist in Taxation Law with the Law Institute of ...
Malcolm Stewart is the Managing Director of Speed and Stracey Lawyers, Vice President of Rule of Law Institute of Australia and Vice Chairman of Australia’s Magna Carta Institute. Major areas of work are Tax and Trust Litigation, and providing strategic dispute advice. Recent achievements include resolving major tax proceedings concerning the Binetter Family, complex Superfund litigation and stopping NSW metropolitan Council mergers.
Paul is a partner in the Tax team and has a broad range of experience in providing specialist taxation and commercial advice to a wide variety of clients. His broad base of clients includes legal and accounting firms, private and listed companies, high net worth individuals, and private equity funds. Paul advises on all areas of Federal and State taxation law and related commercial matters. Paul has experience advising across a range of sectors including transport, mining, property sale and d...
Tuan is a litigator with over 15 years of experience in tax, insolvency and commercial litigation. Having been the Executive Director of the ATO’s litigation department and a Judicial Registrar of the Federal Court of Australia, Tuan brings a deep understanding of the inner workings of Courts and Tribunals to the leadership of Aptum’s Tax Practice. Tuan has acted for the Commissioner on a range of complex Part IVC, debt litigation and administrative law matters, and on taskforces ...
Rob Warnock is a Principal Lawyer in the commercial team at Harwood Andrews and a Chartered Tax Adviser. With a particular interest in privately owned businesses, Rob helps accountants, businesses and individuals on federal and state tax related matters, specifically in the areas of: Planning Business structuring and restructuring Asset protection Trusts Business succession Business advisory Income tax CGT GST Stamp duty Land tax Payroll tax Disputes Rob regularly liaises and negotiates with ...
Qualified as a lawyer, chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser, Mark provides advice across the spectrum of taxes. He has experience in income tax, capital gains tax, goods and services tax, fringe benefits tax, payroll tax and land tax. Mark assists with all legal matters involving taxation law, including making applications for private, class or product rulings from the ATO. He assists with tax audits and with related settlement negotiations with the ATO and State revenue authorities...
Edward is a Special Counsel in the Business Law team at Sladen Legal. Edward commenced his career as a graduate in the ATO and then as a lawyer within the ATO’s Tax Counsel Network and Review and Dispute Resolution business lines. Edward has also worked in several large accounting and national law firms, enabling him to develop his command of prevalent tax and commercial issues that affect high-wealth individuals and small to medium enterprises. With his experience in both private and p...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
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