Drawing on the firm’s expertise in international trade, WTO, and tax, Baker McKenzie‘s market-leading customs and excise department offers full-service advice, including sanctions, export controls, foreign investment and anti-dumping/trade remedies. The group is well-versed in assisting companies with customs and excise investigations in connection to HMRC rulings and advises on supply chain customs issues in the context of trade disruption and geopolitical risks. The practice is headed by Jennifer Revis who covers international trade regulations, customs valuations and investigations. Ben Smith focuses on export controls, sanctions and customs advice, as well as anti-bribery/anti-money-laundering. Of counsel Jessica Mutton covers a range of issues including sanctions and export controls, anti-bribery and corruption, and tax evasion.

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DLA Piper‘s trade and governmental affairs team advises on all aspects of international trade law, on national and international customs, including compliance issues, global restructurings and supply chain management and excise issues. The group is jointly headed by Paul Hardy who focuses on international trade and UK government affairs and handles advice on the implications of Brexit, and Chloe Barker who works across the firm’s London and Birmingham office and specialises in trade regulation, customs and excise. Areas of expertise also include tax and cross-border VAT, the specialism of the head of UK tax Richard Woolich. Stuart Walsh has vast experience in tax audits, tax risk management and tax dispute resolution. John Forrest departed in January 2024.

Kennedys has entered the rankings since hiring a team in 2023 from Bird & Bird LLP - including Andy Brown (the practice head) and Chris Young. The team is especially adept in relation to tax and customs and excise disputes, ranging from compliance advice to investigations and including both civil litigation and defending criminal prosecutions. Brown has extensive experience of international tax regimes, including in relation to VAT fraud and excise duty fraud investigations. Young, who is noted for his 'superb grasp of the fundamentals and complexities', undertakes both advisory and contentious work with a focus on tax litigation and criminal prosecutions.

 

With particular expertise in multi-jurisdictional customs and excise investigations, tax litigation and international trade, PwC LLP’s indirect tax team assists in a broad range of customs, excise and environmental taxes issues. They are engaged by FTSE 100 companies and major multinationals, as well as private businesses, public sector organisations and professional bodies. The group is led by David Anderson, the UK and global head of indirect tax disputes, and Caroline Brooks, UK environmental tax leader (non-lawyer). Victor Cramer is experienced in indirect taxation, in particular VAT, customs and other indirect taxes, as well as the alternate dispute resolution methods used by HMRC. Holly Grantham and Sophie Tustian are valuable members of the team.

Well-versed in high-profile disputes regarding customs duties and anti-dumping duties, RPC offers full-service tax dispute advice. The tax disputes resolution group also assists in all aspects of HMRC investigations and public law challenges against HMRC. With vast experience in direct and indirect tax dispute resolution, including customs and excise disputes, team leader Adam Craggs‘ practice centers on inquiries and criminal tax investigations. Michelle Sloane is an expert in tax dispute resolution and has particular expertise with VAT, customs and excise duty disputes. Harry Smith and Liam McKay cover a range of direct and indirect tax disputes across a range of sectors.