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The comprehensive guide to the world's leading tax firms

The Amrit MacIntyre-led tax group at Baker & McKenzie consists of five partners, eight associates, and a law clerk, including a transfer pricing consultant. The transfer pricing department received a boost when partner Dixon Hearder joined in July 2010 ... [more]

The Amrit MacIntyre-led tax group at Baker & McKenzie consists of five partners, eight associates, and a law clerk, including a transfer pricing consultant. The transfer pricing department received a boost when partner Dixon Hearder joined in July 2010 from Corrs Chambers Westgarth.

The tax team offers competent advice on indirect and direct tax, corporate tax, and transfer pricing aspects of property transactions and REITs (real-estate investment trusts). Contentious tax matters, including legal professional privilege claims and tax litigation, are also handled by the firm.

The firm is an established legal service provider for various blue-chip Australian and multinational companies. Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, and Motorola are just a few clients on an extensive list.

Tim Sherman, described as "a very good up and coming partner" by a peer, advised Kohlberg Kravis Roberts on the sale of its stake in Seven Media Group to West Australian Newspapers Holdings. Valued at A$4.08 billion ($4.25 billion), the transaction is the largest in the private equity sector since 2009, and a large transaction in the Australian media market.

Baker & McKenzie has been advising foreign companies investing in China for nearly 40 years. The tax team consists of six partners and 12 tax professionals based in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. The promotion of Jinghua Liu to partner has further ... [more]

Baker & McKenzie has been advising foreign companies investing in China for nearly 40 years. The tax team consists of six partners and 12 tax professionals based in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. The promotion of Jinghua Liu to partner has further strengthened the team.

Liu and the highly recommended pair of Jon Eichelberger and Brendan Kelly have been providing advice to clients on the implications of Circular 698. Kelly, Liu, and Pierre Chan teamed up to advise a firm as both the buyer and seller on tax issues related to the transfer of an entire business line in China. The deal is an offshore transaction that triggered Circular 698 reporting in China.

Kelly and Steven Sieker advised a client on its tax liability in China and reporting obligations in relation to the corporate changes in the direct and indirect holding companies of Chinese companies. The $4 billion deal, completed in November 2010, considered potentially conflicting tax issues from China, Hong Kong, Netherlands and Switzerland. The issues also involved the mitigation of potential reporting issues under Circular 698.

The firm's transfer pricing group is led by Glenn DeSouza, and has been busy performing planning and documentation studies for several large multinational companies.

Baker & McKenzie maintains a well-established tax practice in both Hong Kong and China. The highly respected Michael Olesnicky leads the team of five partners, two special counsel and 13 other professionals.Travis Benjamin, promoted to special counsel ... [more]

Baker & McKenzie maintains a well-established tax practice in both Hong Kong and China. The highly respected Michael Olesnicky leads the team of five partners, two special counsel and 13 other professionals.

Travis Benjamin, promoted to special counsel in July 2010, paired up with Olesnicky to advise a Chinese bank and a sovereign wealth fund on the tax issues concerned with the formation of a $1 billion private equity fund focused on China. This deal is one of the larger private equity fund formation deals ever conducted in China.

Partner Jacqueline Shek has been busy running the firm's stamp duty practice, advising and representing various financial institutions in stamp duty audits in relation to guaranteed price trading programmes. The technical issues have widespread implications as many local and international financial institutions conduct similar types of business in Hong Kong.

Steven Sieker is advising a real-estate investment trust (REIT) on the tax and trust aspects of a listing transfer from Singapore to Hong Kong. This will be the first dual REIT listing in Asia, worth about $1.5 billion.

Baker & McKenzie's tax and transfer pricing practice is led by Ed Whatley and Ken Okawara and has five partners and 11 fee earners. Experienced partner Yukinori Watanabe retired in June 2010.The team includes specialists in corporate tax planning and ... [more]

Baker & McKenzie's tax and transfer pricing practice is led by Ed Whatley and Ken Okawara and has five partners and 11 fee earners. Experienced partner Yukinori Watanabe retired in June 2010.

The team includes specialists in corporate tax planning and structuring, tax audits, litigation, customs, indirect tax and a transfer pricing group that covers planning, audits and disputes.

In October 2010, Whatley advised a NYSE-listed software company on the $170 million takeover of its Japanese subsidiary by a venture capital firm. He also advised on transfer pricing issues concerning the termination of the joint venture between the two firms.

Okawara is advising a US client in the IT industry on restructuring its Japanese operations. Issues involve tax planning, customs and transfer pricing advice on pursuing a bilateral APA.

Baker & McKenzie's tax practice consists of three partners and seven fee earners, and is led by Michael Wong. Partner Dennis Lee is known as a leading corporate tax adviser.Lee and Wen-Yeng Kang acted for Morgan Stanley, the financial adviser to Polaris, ... [more]

Baker & McKenzie's tax practice consists of three partners and seven fee earners, and is led by Michael Wong. Partner Dennis Lee is known as a leading corporate tax adviser.

Lee and Wen-Yeng Kang acted for Morgan Stanley, the financial adviser to Polaris, regarding financial group Yuanta's NT$48.9 billion acquisition of Polaris. The pair provided tax advice on M&A and corporate restructuring issues.

The pair are also advising Kohlberg Kravis Roberts on the tax implications of its acquisition of Yageo, an electronics manufacturer.

Frederick Burke heads Baker & McKenzie's tax practice, and focuses on tax planning and foreign investment projects. The practice's other partner, Nguyen Thanh Vinh, specialises in tax and customs advice, tax planning and cross-border structuring.Burke ... [more]

Frederick Burke heads Baker & McKenzie's tax practice, and focuses on tax planning and foreign investment projects. The practice's other partner, Nguyen Thanh Vinh, specialises in tax and customs advice, tax planning and cross-border structuring.

Burke and Vinh are assisting an international development and real estate holding company in reviewing draft legislation and tax issues surrounding the casino gaming business. This work is addressing a new business line in Vietnam, which is giving rise to new tax issues and implications.

Vinh is advising a leading nutritional product manufacturing company on tax planning and the tax implications of a proposed acquisition. The deal involves complicated acquisition structures to reduce the client's tax exposure.