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Hogan Lovells's tax practice comprises two partners, James Vaudoyer and Xenia Legendre, after the departure of Hervé Israel in February this year. The practice focuses on two main streams of work: financing institutions and M&A.This year the tax team ... [more]

Hogan Lovells's tax practice comprises two partners, James Vaudoyer and Xenia Legendre, after the departure of Hervé Israel in February this year. The practice focuses on two main streams of work: financing institutions and M&A.

This year the tax team advised Lloyds TSB Bank as a trustee in the creation of a French-law governed security trust arrangement in the context of a pan-European securitisation. This was the first major structured finance transaction in France to make use of a French law security trust arrangement over bank accounts and cash flows located in France.

The team also advised Accor Services on the demerger of its hostelry and meal voucher activities carried. Other clients include AXA, BNP Paribas, Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Crédit Agricole, ExxonMobil, Henderson Global Investors, Honeywell and Saeco.

Hogan Lovells's tax team is led by Stephan Geibl and comprises 14 practitioners. Christoph Küppers is mentioned in the market for his corporate tax work.The practice has worked on a number of interesting transactions this year. Jens-Uwe Hinder, Sebastian ... [more]

Hogan Lovells's tax team is led by Stephan Geibl and comprises 14 practitioners. Christoph Küppers is mentioned in the market for his corporate tax work.

The practice has worked on a number of interesting transactions this year. Jens-Uwe Hinder, Sebastian Kost and Mathias Schönhaus advised News Corporation on the sale of Fox Mobile Group as well as significant pre-closing restructuring. This was the only transaction in which the tax authorities have granted a binding ruling on the tax neutral cross-border exit of a distressed shareholder loan.

Küppers, Michael Dettmeier and Heiko Gemmel also advised on the acquisition of risk positions and strategically irrelevant business sectors from Hypo Real Estate Group. The value of assets transferred was around €173 billion. Other clients they have worked for include Commerzbank, WestLB, Erste Abwicklungsanstalt, Schroder Investment Management and Union Investment Real Estate.

Hogan Lovells's tax practice is led by Fulvia Astolfi, who is also co-head of the firm's global practice.Though the practice has seen a shift towards more litigation in the last few years, the corporate tax practice remains strong and the team has advised ... [more]

Hogan Lovells's tax practice is led by Fulvia Astolfi, who is also co-head of the firm's global practice.

Though the practice has seen a shift towards more litigation in the last few years, the corporate tax practice remains strong and the team has advised on a number of large transactions, especially involving distressed companies. The team has also seen an increase in work in capital markets and securitization.

This year the group advised new client Ferrovie dello Stato on tax issues related to €1.5 billion of revolving and committed credits. The practice also advised FCE Bank in structuring and drafting the legal documentation in a up-to-€600 million dealer floor plan trade receivables transaction which were sold on a continuing basis to Merrill Lynch International Bank.

Other clients include Deutsche Bank, Unicredit, Royal Bank of Scotland, Birra Peroni, Affinion, Cadmos Energia Renovables and CommerzRe.

Miguel Ángel Sánchez is the head of Hogan Lovells's Spanish tax department and is supported by four fee earners. The team handles a range of tax issues for clients including M&A, cross-border structuring, indirect tax and tax litigation. The department's ... [more]

Miguel Ángel Sánchez is the head of Hogan Lovells's Spanish tax department and is supported by four fee earners. The team handles a range of tax issues for clients including M&A, cross-border structuring, indirect tax and tax litigation. The department's clients reflect the breadth of its ability and includes Banco Pastor, Bankinter, ExxonMobil and Boluda Corporación Marítima. Banco Pastor sought the help of the firm's tax team when acting as arranger for the design and implementation of a tax leasing and tonnage structure to finance the acquisition of shipping vessels by the French charterer Technip and Dutch charterer Antwerp Port Authority. The team subsequently advised the companies on the refinancing of the deal after changes in the vessel's construction processes and a corresponding change in price. This involved careful treatment of the structures involved to provide efficient compliance in all jurisdictions concerned and ensure that indirect tax charges were minimised. The firm also advised a multinational oil company on the reorganisation of its international holding structure this year. The firm had to consider the tax issues different structures would present in the many countries the company is active and obtained several rulings from the tax authorities to gain clearance for the final structure implemented. Competitors comment that the firm has lately been more visibly active in tax matters than in previous years.

Karen Hughes leads Hogan Lovells's UK tax practice with four further partners and 15 other fee earners comprising her team. The firm has a good reputation across a range of corporate tax issues, with Greg Sinfield singled out by his competitors for his ... [more]

Karen Hughes leads Hogan Lovells's UK tax practice with four further partners and 15 other fee earners comprising her team. The firm has a good reputation across a range of corporate tax issues, with Greg Sinfield singled out by his competitors for his work in indirect tax. Sinfield's expertise in VAT was crucial to Loyalty Management UK's appeal to the ECJ over tax imposed on the company in relation to its supply of the Nectar cards reward scheme, which has been referred back to the Supreme Court and is awaiting trial. This firm has also been engaged in transactional work with Phillip Gershuny leading the tax team involved in the sale of EMI music. The transaction involved the acquisition of insolvent record company EMI by Citibank and necessitated Citibank writing off some £2.2billion in loans previously made to EMI. Hogan Lovells advised the administrators on particular tax issues arising from EMI's insolvency. The firm also advised Henderson Global Investors on the foundation of a new fund to invest in offices in central London. European, British and Canadian investors all participated in a partnership structure with offshore feeder vehicles to accommodate the various investors' profiles. Hogan Lovells was responsible for developing and advising on this structure to accommodate domestic and international requirements in such a way as to minimise their tax liability.