Expertise

Specialises in all aspects of commercial taxation, including UK and international corporate taxation, double tax treaty planning, the structuring and financing of UK and cross-border investment; Value Added Tax and Stamp Duty Land Tax; corporate re-organisations, acquisitions and disposals.  He also advises a number of local and public authorities, including the National Lottery Commission, and charitable organisations.
 
He has considerable experience in the area of property investment, development and finance, acting for UK and non-UK clients purchasing, selling and occupying all types of property from shopping centres to offices and hotels, and establishing property funds both onshore and offshore.
 
He is a member of the Alternative Investment Management Association’s Tax Committee, helping to represent the hedge fund industry to representatives of the Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs.  As representative of the VAT Practitioners Group on the Land and Property Liaison Group, Robert is involved in numerous consultation exercises and discussions with Customs at policy level.

Experience

• Advised Oxford City Council on the tax implications of the proposed re-development of the Westgate Centre.
• Advised a number of local authorities on the outsourcing of leisure and other facilities, as well as the non-profit distributing organisations acquiring them.
• Advised on the international tax implications of the reorganisation and subsequent disposal of Knightsbridge Group’s oil and gas interests in Latin America.
• Acting for the investors for Legal & General - Golden Square Limited Partnership on the transfer of interests in the Industrial Property Investment Fund to a Jersey unit trust.  We advised the investors at the suggestion of Legal & General.
• Advised Thomas More Square Partnership on the purchase and subsequent disposal of Thomas More Estate.
• Advised GE Life on the sale of its reversionary portfolio.
• Clients include: Legal and General Assurance Society Limited, National Farmers Union Mutual Assurance Society Limited, Sainsbury's PLC, Hermes, Zurich Assurance, AXA REIM, Universities Superannuation Scheme, Garsington Opera Limited and wealthy private individuals with investments worldwide.

Professional

Qualified 1981 at May, May & Merrymans
Hempsons, Partner 1983-1987
LG, Partner 1987 to date

Professional Memberships

The Law Society of England and Wales
Value Added Tax Practitioners Group
Stamp Taxes Practitioners Group
Chambre de Commerce Francaise de Grande-Bretagne
Tax Commitee, Alternative Investment Management Association

Publications

• He has lectured and written widely on tax generally, including "Tax for the Non-Tax Specialist" Henry Stewart Study Conference (September 2007), "Planning Gain Supplement" LG Local Authority Seminar (November 2006), “UK REITs” Chelmsford Branch, Chartered Institute of Taxation (October 2007), “VAT Planning in the Current Climate; UK REITs and their impact on Estate Management” University and University Associated Real Estate Conference (Henry Stewart) (February 2008).

Languages

French (fluent).