Joseph Howard (2006)
Joseph read law at Cambridge University and took a masters degree (LLM) in tax law at KCL before being called to the Bar in 2006 by Gray's Inn (as a Prince of Wales Scholar). He trained as a pupil in the Chambers of John Gardiner QC before joining the 'magic circle' law firm Allen & Overy as in-house barrister in the corporate tax planning and advisory team. There, Joseph advised on a wide range of sophisticated tax structured finance transactions and corporate deals. He also advised on structured personal tax products and personal tax planning in conjunction with the private client team. He then joined the No.1 ranked tax disputes and investigations team at McGrigors LLP as in-house barrister where he was involved in a number of high profile cases (both in the Tribunals and higher courts) and other disputes with HMRC including enquiries and civil investigations.
Joseph now advises and litigates in respect of all aspects of UK direct and indirect taxation including income, corporation, capital gains and inheritance taxes, VAT, customs duties, stamp duties and NICs. Joseph appears regularly in court, and gives advice and representation in respect of all types of disputes with HMRC including tax investigations, enquiries and settlement negotiations, as well as all types of applications and appeals in the Tribunals and higher courts.
He advises and litigates in respect of tax related professional negligence, and the criminal aspects of tax including the evasion of VAT and income tax, fraud, false accounting and cheating the public revenue. Although in disputes with HMRC the preferred outcome is always to reach an acceptable, negotiated settlement, the advised approach in the current climate is that of Flavius Renatus: "to achieve peace, prepare for war".
He frequently gives both accountants and solicitors pre and post-implementation advice on all forms of tax planning in the UK and other jurisdictions, ranging from advising small and medium sized businesses, to private clients with UK and offshore arrangements, to banks, financial institutions and multinational companies. His background in sophisticated tax structuring combined with his litigation and investigations experience allows him to add considerable value to planning proposals, including providing clients with rigorous technical analysis, practical implementation advice, and advance warning of future challenges based on the approach HMRC is currently taking in its challenges to existing planning arrangements.
Qualifications and professional associations:
- MA (Cantab); LLM (Tax) (Lond.);
- Member of the Revenue Bar Association
Publications:
- Contributing Editor: Simon's Taxes (Capital Gains Tax divisions);
- Reviewing Editor for CCH Red Books;
- Regular contributor to tax publications including Taxation, Tax Journal and Private Client Business.
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