Corporate Tax

Our Tax team advises clients ranging from multi-nationals to financial institutions to start-ups on the tax aspects of corporate, commercial and corporate real estate transactions.

Our corporate tax lawyers advise UK and overseas clients on transactional and corporate taxes, including Corporation Tax, Value Added Tax (VAT) and Stamp Duty, in relation to all areas of business activity including mergers and acquisitions, group reorganisations, joint ventures and private equity/venture capital structures.

We have a specialist expertise in, and frequently advise on, the tax aspects of corporate real estate transactions where we regularly advise a mix of high net worth individuals, institutions, investors and property developers on the VAT, SDLT and corporation tax implications of real estate transactions.

Representative Corporate Tax Work

Examples of our team’s corporate tax work include:

Real Estate

• Advised an entrepreneur on the implementation of a tax efficient corporate structure relating to the acquisition and ‘mixed use’ development of a major Brownfield site close to the London Olympic Park. Our advice incorporated innovative SDLT and corporation tax planning on this complex project.
• Advised a leading house builder on its joint venture projects with various registered social landlords on the development of ‘private/public’ residential schemes; in each case, our advice protected the client’s returns by mitigating VAT and corporation tax leakages
• Advised a renowned English county cricket club on the tax issues relating to the building (including on the significant quasi equity finance element) of their stadium.
• Advised a leading European bank on the debtor-backed restructuring of its UK real estate loan portfolio (which included enhanced debt/equity arrangements).
• Advised landlords and exempt occupiers as to VAT mitigation.

Funds

• Advised the founder investors on the establishment of a distressed real estate private equity group, and on subsequent property and loan stock acquisitions.
• Advised a leading timber asset fund manager on the establishment of new fund structures (which cater for UK and overseas investors) and on management arrangements.
• Advised on the establishment of an incubator venture capital fund, and its subsequent advisory and investment activities.
• Advised a leading City institution on the establishment and running of a Cayman Island credit derivative fund, together with advice to the UK investment manager entity.

Corporate/Commercial

• Advised a corporate finance house on a staged disposal strategy for a recruitment business which provided substantial tax savings at both the corporate and investor levels.
• Advised a renowned English county cricket club on the design and implementation of a JV corporate structure with a major catering provider that provides for tax efficient profit extraction from the retail operations of the client’s stadium.
• Advised the owners of a major London tourist hotel chain on the segregation of their business which allowed the ring-fencing of their valuable London property portfolio from the operating arm of the business.
• Advised a Canadian credit rating agency on the implementation of an employee incentive scheme for its key UK employees.
• Advised a leading Brazilian Bank on the UK tax planning issues relating to its London based staff.