Most Highly Regarded Firms: Corporate Tax 2010

• October 2010

• Corporate Tax

Our extensive research uncovers 736 leading corporate tax professionals, praised for their gold-standard expertise. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP excels in our international research with 21 partners on our list across eight offices worldwide.

Global

Five names feature from the firm’s London headquarters, described by prominent sources as “one of the best tax departments in the city”. “First class practitioner” and former head of the global tax practice Murray Clayson is singled out for particular praise. With a “tremendous grasp of international taxation issues”, Clayson’s cross-border skill-set garners global acclaim. Head of private equity tax, David Taylor is another “brilliant name” at the firm and Sarah Falk “just goes from strength to strength”. Richard Ballard is a “fantastic lawyer” that enjoys a “great reputation” and Colin Hargreaves is “top for structured finance”. Six of the partners listed hail from Germany where new global head of tax Stephan Eilers is a “wonderful and tremendously knowledgeable advisor”. Jochen Lüdicke’s work is “very popular with clients”, Norbert Schneider is “excellent” and Thomas Wiesenbart is another “favourite name”. Further high praise is levelled at fellow Frankfurt-based duo Martin Schießl, described as an“international tax structuring expert”, and dual-qualified accountant and tax adviser Holger Häuselmann. In Austria, Claus Staringer is “a star” and Michael Sedlaczek is highly commended. Two names are listed from the US: in New York Robert Scarborough is “very talented” and in Washington DC, Gregory May is “an absolute must for inclusion”. With further listings in the Netherlands, France, Spain and Italy, the firm’s depth and breadth of expertise is reflected throughout our international research.

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP also stands out: thirteen partners are included. Eleven hail from the US, where Washington DC-based Paul Oosterhuis is an “international specialist”. Described by prominent sources as “a cut above”, Oosterhuis counts Visa, Royal Dutch Shell and IBM among his remarkable client list. Pamela Olson formerly served as an assistant secretary for tax policy at the treasury department and is praised by contributors for being “utterly superb”. Hal Hicks is a “highly impressive lawyer” whose notable legal career also involves serving as international counsel to the US Treasury Department. In New York, Matthew Rosen is “very good indeed” and Edward Gonzalez is an “indefatigable lawyer that provides an unbelievable client service and technical ability”. Chicago-based Louis Freeman is “terrific” and “tremendously experienced” for federal tax planning and dispute work. In London, head of the European tax practice Tim Sanders is a “first class lawyer” and in Paris, Philippe Derouin is a “five star practitioner”.

Clifford Chance LLP performs excellently with 11 partners listed. A quartet features from the London office, including the “very well known” consultant to the firm, Peter Elliott. David Harkness receives high client praise and is a lawyer that counterparts “have a lot of time for”. “Heavyweight structured finance expert” Jonathan Elman receives international plaudits and Douglas French is another “very established industry figure”. Paris-based Eric Zeller is a “bright lawyer” praised by clients for his “commercial acumen”. Further excellent commendation is levelled at Madrid’s José Ignacio Jiménez Blanco and Roberto Grau. In Milan, Carlo Galli is recommended for his depth of expertise.

Allen & Overy LLP fields ten very highly praised names. Patrick Mears is an “exceptional lawyer” whose “outstanding quality” earns him a place in the very upper tiers of our research. Mears’s “distinguished cross-border know-how” is recognised by a prominent global client base that includes Emirates National Oil Company and Morgan Stanley. Consultant to the firm David Lewis is “top notch for complex corporate transactions”. Based in the Frankfurt office, Eugen Bogenschuetz is “one of the very best in Germany”. In Munich, Gottfried Breuninger is “a world class, extremely capable lawyer”. Sydney’s Andrew Stahls is “really great” and in the Netherlands, Olaf van der Donk and John Brouwer are highly commended. Recent addition to the Paris office Jean-Yves Charriau is “a star”.

Nine names are selected from Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, six of whom are based in New York where counsel Willard Taylor shines for his “tremendous expertise” that is recommended to our research team year on year. Managing partner of the tax group, Andrew Solomon is “incredibly effective”. David Hariton is a “leading intellect” and Diana Wollman is “fabulous”. In Paris, Gauthier Blanluet is “brilliant” and Jean-Pierre Le Gall “knows all there is to know about corporate tax”. In London, Michael McGowan is a “very able lawyer” and a name that competitors “would certainly use”.

Shearman & Sterling LLP has five of their stars listed. New York-based Peter Blessing is one of the most highly nominated practitioners in our international research. A “superb lawyer”, sources consistently highlight his corporate tax pedigree. In California, Laurence Crouch has “extensive corporate tax experience” and in Germany, Johannes Frey is “wonderful” for tax planning, transactions and controversy work.

Accountancy Firms

Owing to their significant role in the corporate tax arena, our research uncovers a select team of highly recommended legal individuals from global accountancy practices.

Six names are selected from Ernst & Young LLP, five of whom are based in the US. In Washington DC, David Garlock receives glittering praise as a “terrific practitioner” that counterparts “think the world of” and is seen as “one of the industry’s brightest individuals”. Andrew Dubroff is “a star name with a solid commercial focus”. In Texas, Jerred Blanchard is “very strong” and Barksdale Hortenstine is praised for his technical know-how and creative solutions. In Finland, Markku Järvenoja is singled out for praise.

Seven names are also listed from Deloitte & Touche LLP. Three are based in Helsinki where Jukka Karjalainen is highly recommended, Tomi Pitkanen is “really great” and Outi Ukkola receives significant praise. In Arizona, Fred Witt is “excellent”.

KPMG has seven featured names over the following pages and Dublin-based Michael Farrell is described by contributors as a “fantastic tax practitioner”. In Washington DC, domestic and international players highlight “formidable lawyer” Thomas Wessel’s expertise and Steven Lainoff’s “first-class calibre”. In Vienna, Hans Zöchling receives high recognition. A recent addition as head of the firm’s tax and legal practice in Chile, Francisco Lyon receives global praise.

Six lawyers feature from PricewaterhouseCoopers. In the Netherlands, Stef van Weeghel is a “stand out name”. A “very strong team” is listed from Finland comprising Karen Svennas, Ilkka Kajas and Samuli Makkonen. In Norway, Morten Beck is a “star” and in Mexico, Eduardo Méndez has an “excellent depth of knowledge”.

Europe

Loyens & Loeff has the most partners included in our research with 24 lawyers listed. Willem Bongaerts is “a tremendous lawyer” and his “terrific for cross-border work”. Twelve are based in the Netherlands where Maarten van der Weijden provides “sharp, effective and commercially astute advice” and Marc Klerks “cuts right to the core of the issue”. Lawyers “would not hesitate to refer a client to” Mark van Casteren and Juliana Cangussu Dantas is “brilliant”. Bartjan Zoetmulder receives high levels of client praise, Carola van den Bruinhorst garners gleaming international feedback and Paul Simonis has “a fabulous practice”. Luxembourg-based Simon Paul is “an external counsel of choice” and Jean-Pierre Winandy’s “tactical advice is second to none”. Head of the Frankfurt office, Etienne Spierts is a “go to name” and a specialist in business activities between Germany and the Benelux region. In Singapore, Pieter de Ridder has “a great international tax profile” and “a strong knowledge on the ground”. New York-based Lodewijk Berger is a “leading light” and a trusted adviser to several multi-national corporations.

In France, eight partners hail from CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre where Edouard Milhac is a “splendid lawyer” whose practice “gets better and better”. Bruno Gibert is “responsive, astute and user friendly”, and receives international recognition. Bruno Gouthière is “very knowledgeable, particularly for government policy”. Seven names are included from Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira where Sonia Velasco is “a high quality practitioner” and Andreas Trost is “a name to count on in a crisis”. In Portugal, Diogo Ortigão Ramos “achieves first class results” for his clients. Seven names feature from Flick Gocke Schaumburg in Germany. Klaus Sieker is highly commended for his tax planning expertise and structuring of foreign investments. Thomas Rödder receives mountains of international praise and is described by one source as “one of the very best in the business”. Andreas Schumacher is “terrific” and a name repeatedly recommended to researchers. Uría Menéndez has seven lawyers listed. Guillermo Canalejo is “world class”, Jesús López Tello is a “top level” adviser and Rafael Fuster is “exemplary”.

In Austria, LeitnerLeitner has five partners included. Gerald Gahleitner is very highly recommended by clients and contemporaries alike and Sabine Kirchmayr-Schliesselberger is “excellent” for tax and finance. Four names feature in the upper tiers from Wolf Theiss, highly recommended for its “fantastic network in central eastern Europe”. Niklas Schmidt is “exceptionally clever and thoroughly pragmatic” and Clemens Philipp Schindler is “extremely sharp”. From Ireland, A&L Goodbody fields a talented quartet. Leading them, Peter Maher is an “absolute star”, one of the most highly nominated practitioners in our international research. Andrew Quinn is “brilliant” and according to one source is “certainly one to watch [as] he goes from strength to strength”. At Matheson Ormsby Prentice where four partners are listed, Liam Quirke’s “brilliant advice” is “a cut above” according to clients. With a “fantastic depth of knowledge” Anthony Walsh is highlighted for his work in financial services.

Hengeler Mueller has three names included. Friedhelm Jacob has an “unfathomable depth of expertise and has amassed a terrific technical ability throughout his outstanding career”. Receiving exceptional levels of recommendation, Jacob features in our breakdown of the most highly nominated practitioners overall. Another top ten practitioner, Guglielmo Maisto of Maisto e Associati is hailed as a “true leader in the field” and a “masterful technician”. Three further highly skilled names are included from the firm for their “top rate quality”.

North America

Nine names from McDermott Will & Emery LLP feature on our list. In Washington DC, Stephen Wells is “an excellent lawyer”. Steven Hannes is a “leading light” and a “trusted transfer pricing advisor”. In New York, Peter Faber is a “go to name for state and local taxation”. In Chicago, Lowell Yoder is “top flight” and receives mountains of industry praise. He is joined on the list by Andrea Kramer whose “sharp intellect and meticulously high standards” are praised by clients and peers alike. Munich-based Dirk Pohl is “a very strong practitioner” and Arndt Raupach is “knowledgeable and highly skilled”. Head of the London tax department Peter Nias is a “superb lawyer”. Widely praised for his navigation of transfer pricing and cross-border tax issues, Nias’s excellent reputation continues to grow.

Six names are included from Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. Five are included in New York where James Peaslee is “outstanding” and Leslie Samuels receives “top marks”. Yaron Reich is “first class”. Paris-based Gilles Entraygues is “tremendous” and a name that colleagues “hear very good things about”. At Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, counsel and head of the tax department Peter Canellos is one of the most highly nominated practitioners in our research. A “formidable opponent”, respondents admire his “outstanding intellect and tremendous experience”. Two further names feature from the firm comprising the “excellent” Jodi Schwartz and “client favourite” Deborah Paul. At Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP, Michael Schler is “first class”, Stephen Gordon is “incredibly impressive” and Andrew Needham is a “top tier” lawyer.

Three names are included from Fenwick & West LLP in California. James Fuller is a “brilliant lawyer” with a “gold standard, broad-based corporate tax knowledge” that contemporaries “would not hesitate to recommend”. David Forst is “smart and proactive” and Walter Raineri’s “technical expertise is very impressive”. Two names feature highly from Caplin & Drysdale Chartered. The “very famous” David Rosenbloom “belongs in the upper echelons” and Rebecca Rosenburg is “a star”. Ten lawyers are listed from Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. Six are based in Toronto including “top tier” Scott Wilkie and “one of Canada’s best” Richard Tremblay. In Québec, the “terrifically experienced” Robert Raizenne receives high praise for his transactional and tax planning know-how. In Calgary, the “excellent” Donald Watkins QC is very strongly recommended and is a trusted adviser to major companies such as Fording Canadian Coal Trust and The Hibernia Consortium. In New York, David Hardy is “a very fine lawyer”.

Seven feature from Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP. Trusted government advisor Nathan Boidman is one of the most highly regarded practitioners in our Canadian research. Peers praise his “fluent handling of complex cross-border issues”. Clients praise his “in-depth understanding of their commercial needs”. The “excellent” Stephen Ruby “is certainly in the top tier” and John Ulmer is “an extremely capable, eminent practitioner”. Three partners make the list from Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. Elinore Richardson is “exceptional”, Douglas Powrie is “top notch” and litigation heavyweight Brian Schneiderman is “brilliant”. At Aird & Berlis LLP, Jack Bernstein is a “phenomenal practitioner” and features in our breakdown of the top ten most nominated individuals in our research. Barbara Worndl is “superb” and “an absolute pleasure to work with”. At Basham Ringe y Correa SC, Luis Ortiz Hidalgo is described as “one of the finest lawyers in Mexico” and at Tron Advogados, Manuel Tron is “outstanding”.

London

A mix of exceptional London-based barristers and solicitors make the list. The “unsurpassable” Steve Edge at Slaughter and May is the most highly nominated individual in our international research. A “gold standard” practitioner of “illimitable expertise”, Edge “works tirelessly for his clients”. He receives global recognition for his “superb calibre” and for being an “absolute pleasure to deal with”. Four further names from the firm are listed, comprising the “very bright” Sara Luder and “star advisers” Graham Airs, Tony Beare and Mike Lane.

Head of tax Bradley Phillips and head of tax planning and disputes Heather Gething from Herbert Smith LLP are very highly recommended for their work on behalf of leading investment banks and multinational corporations. Further listings for the firm include Madrid’s Nicolás Martín and Moscow’s Oleg Konnov.

At Macfarlanes LLP, “sharp and effective” duo Mark Baldwin and Ashley Greenbank are included and count Virgin Group among their impressive client list.

At the Bar, four “phenomenal” names feature from Gray’s Inn Tax Chambers including the “astoundingly knowledgeable international tax guru” Philip Baker QC. David Goldberg QC is “an incredibly effective, persuasive and meticulous practitioner”. The “terrific” Michael Flesch QC was consistently recommended for his litigation and advisory work. A “go to name” for global corporations, instructing solicitors said “clients love him”. David Goy QC is “an utterly brilliant barrister with a sharp intellect”.

At 11 New Square, the “outstanding” John Gardiner QC has an “excellent reputation” and is a trusted tax source for leading international commercial practitioners. Jonathan Peacock QC is a “tremendous advocate” and a “formidable opponent”. At Pump Court Tax Chambers, the “incredibly well respected” David Milne QC is an “awe-inspiring advocate” and one of the most sought after silks in the country. Temple Tax Chambers’ Jonathan Schwarz receives global recognition. “Always thinking one step ahead”, Schwarz is described by many as “one of the industry’s finest”.

Our list would simply be incomplete without Malcolm Gammie QC at One Essex Court. Throughout his “remarkable career”, Gammie has amassed a broad range of experience at both commercial city firms and accountancy practices and is praised by industry leaders as “one of its brightest lights”. 

Asia Pacific

In Australia, Mallesons Stephen Jaques fields five names. Andrew Clements is “the right guy for advice you can really rely on” and David Wood “gets straight to the key points”.

At Minter Ellison William Thompson is “very bright” and a “talented industry force”, and at Atanaskovic Hartnell, Richard Dukes is “great for untangling complex international tax issues”. At Clayton Utz, Allan Blaikie is “exceptional” and a name that leading practitioners “turn to again and again for his expertise”.

Jun He Law Offices’s Ding Fa Liu is a “go to name” for China. In India, Nishith M Desai of Nishith Desai Associates is a “clear choice” and Shefali Goradia of BMR Advisors – Taxand is a lawyer of “terrific merit” to include “without question”.

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