Giles' practice covers the full range of advisory work on direct and indirect tax issues. Particular areas of expertise cover corporate reorganisations, employee share incentive schemes, controlled foreign companies’ legislation, tax warranty and indemnity claims, professional negligence, IHT and CGT planning for family-owned businesses, high net worth individuals and onshore and offshore trusts. He has substantial experience and expertise in advising upon and negotiating compromises of Inland Revenue and Customs’ investigation cases. He also sits as an accredited Mediator and is qualified to accept Public Access instructions.
Professional Negligence
Areas of experence: pursuing and defending claims for substantial damages arising out of allegedly defective direct or indirect tax advice given to individuals, trustees of both UK and non-UK settlements, and companies.
Mediation
Over recent years, he has gained substantial experience drafting mediation submissions and appearing for clients at mediations of complicated tax-related disputes.
VAT
In the field of VAT, he has acted for taxpayers in a number of significant cases including the zero-rating of building works, exempt supplies of education services, the imposition of serious misdeclaration penalties and the VAT treatment of off-balance sheet structures.
Investigations
See in particular the House of Lords decision in R (Morgan Grenfell) v Rounding. He regularly advises and lectures upon the exercise of both the Revenue and Customs' information and search powers.
Income tax, capital gains tax, corporation tax, stamp duty/SDLT and national insurance
He has recent substantial experience in structuring and advising clients on the consequences of stamp duty/SDLT and NIC mitigation arrangements.
Inheritance Tax
He regularly advises client on the availability of Business Property Relief and Agricultural Property Relief, tax-efficient methods of giving away the family home and transferring assets into and out of family settlements.
Career
Called 1983, Middle Temple (Harmsworth Scholarship)
Recent cases
R (Morgan Grenfell & Co Ltd) v Rounding (House of Lords); Lloyds UDT Finance Ltd v Chartered Finance Trust Holdings plc (High Court); ABTA v IRC (Special Commissioners); R (Carvill) v IRC (Administrative Court); Blackburn v Keeling (Court of Appeal); Liverpool Archdiocesan Trustees v Goldberg (High Court); Government of Mauritius v Maroussem & Ors (Privy Council); Oriel Support (Special Commissioners) London Recruitment Ltd (Special Commissioners); Secretary of State for Work & Pensions v Smith (House of Lords); Gabem Management (Special Commissioners); Maco Doors & Windows (Court of Appeal) Tower Mcashback (Special Commissioners); Raymond Stewart partnership (High Court)
Publications
Inheritance Tax Planning (with James Kessler & Andrew Thornhill)
Financial Provision and Taxation on Divorce (Key Haven) (with Robert Venables QC and Martin O'Dwyer)
Memberships
Revenue Bar Association
London Common Law & Commercial Bar Association (Treasurer)
Professional Negligence Bar Association
Education
Harrow School
Trinity College, Cambridge (M.A. in Law)
University of Virginia Law School (LLM in US Tax & Commercial Law) (1984)
The Legal 500 says...
Private Client
Ranking: Leading Silk
'strong private client practice' (2009) and 'produces well-reasoned opinions' (2010)
The Chambers Guide says...
Corporate Tax
Ranking: Leading Silks; Band 3
Giles Goodfellow QC is well known for his advice on corporate reorganisations, share incentive schemes and controlled foreign companies legislation. He also has expertise in personal tax, and is commended as "a first-class tactitian and litigator who gets involved in the nitty-gritty. He leaves no stone unturned" (2010)
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