Rated Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) City tax disputes lawyer Rupert Shiers is set to join Hogan Lovells to head its direct tax disputes practice.
Shiers will start in his new role on Monday (24 June), working alongside indirect tax disputes head Michael Conlon QC. He focuses on disputes with HM Revenue & Customs and has led appeals to the First-tier tribunal, Upper Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, as well as references to the European Court of Justice. His clients have included Cadbury Schweppes and BMW Holding.
HSF is a first-tier tax litigation firm, according to Legal 500, where Shiers is said to be ‘very intelligent with a wide-ranging knowledge of tax law, whilst also being a rigorous litigator’.
Commenting on Rupert’s arrival, Fulvia Astolfi, global co-head of Hogan Lovells tax group said: ‘Hiring Rupert reflects our continuing commitment to grow and strengthen this team. Rupert’s skills and experience in conducting tax disputes speaks for themselves and he is a great fit with our practice, complementing perfectly our indirect tax disputes practice led by Michael Conlon QC.
‘With the high level of scrutiny of tax arrangements in the UK, the demand for tax disputes advice is set to increase. In addition, the ever-growing legal structure to tribunal appeals means the role played by tax disputes lawyers is increasingly significant.’
Shiers added: ‘Hogan Lovells offers both a top performing global litigation practice and first class tax advisory practice which, combined, make the firm a perfect fit for my tax disputes expertise and provide an excellent global platform to really develop a direct tax disputes practice.’
His departure is the latest in a series of high profile exits from HSF, including co-head of global arbitration Charles Kaplan to Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe in May, and veteran litigator Ted Greeno to Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in March.
sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk
