Tax issues have an impact on almost every aspect of modern commercial life. The viability and profitability of a project will often depend on the tax implications, and it is therefore essential to obtain the right advice at the outset, to ensure that the commercial objectives of the parties are considered in the light of the possible tax consequences.
RadcliffesLeBrasseur's Tax Department deals with all aspects of direct and indirect tax, including advising on the structuring of transactions to achieve the most tax-efficient outcome, and helping clients with their long-term tax planning.
As well as advising clients directly, the Tax Department often works closely with lawyers from other areas of the firm - including Commercial Property, Corporate, Employment and Insolvency - and with clients' accountants and other professional advisers.
Our work includes advising on:
- the structuring of mergers and acquisitions
- VAT and stamp duty planning, particularly in relation to property transactions
- the use of tax losses, especially in relation to business start-ups
- capital allowances
- employee benefits, including share options (approved and unapproved), profit-related incentives and pensions
- joint ventures
- transfer pricing
- tax structuring of groups
- reorganisations, reconstructions and demergers
Some examples of recent work which includes tax advice:
- the £200m+ acquisition of a property holding company, 280 Bishopsgate Limited, one of the largest UK transactions in 2002.
- the £150m acquisition of a commercial property portfolio.
- the £73m purchase of a retail chain.
- a substantial acquistion of a London hotel.
- the £12m disposal of two operating subsidiaries of a UK listed company.
- the $11m purchase of a debt-collection group.
- the £7m sale of an employment agency.
- the £5m disposal of two nursing home businesses.
- the £1.5m disposal of an offshore property holding company.
- the acquisition by an Italian bank of the London branch of another Italian bank.
- the restructuring of a shop-fitting group and its sale to a venture capital investor.
- the setting up of several limited partnerships on behalf of property investors.
- the establishment of a contracted-out mixed-benefit pension scheme for an employer in the financial services sector.
- the setting up of share schemes for clients in various industries.
- the establishment of numerous unapproved share option schemes.
- the setting up of a share incentive plan for 200 employees on behalf of a client in the property sector.