UK Law Firm Berwin Leighton Paisner recruits top tax partner
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) today announced that it has recruited top tax partner Neal Todd to help further strengthen its already well regarded tax team. Neal is currently a tax partner at Linklaters and previously headed up its international tax unit in Paris. His work for international, blue-chip clients focuses on providing tax advice on mergers and acquisitions; funds and private equity; and finance related matters such as leasing, securitisations and structured transactions.
BLP’s tax team is gaining an increasingly strong reputation, with an unrivalled reputation in real estate and an overall team that is one of the largest in the City. It works closely with practice groups from across the firm to ensure clients are able to structure deals and transactions in the most tax efficient way. John Overs, BLP’s head of tax, said: “Neal has a great track record and is highly thought of. We are looking to strengthen our tax team as we recognise it is an area where we are able to add a lot of value for clients. Making sure we can deliver the very best advice is obviously extremely important, and Neal will help us do this. The fact that we have been able to bring in someone of Neal’s stature is a clear demonstration of our intention to strengthen our team further.”
Neal added: “It is great to be joining such a strong team, and I am looking forward to the challenge of helping to deliver even more growth in the practice. BLP has an excellent client list, a strong reputation and an exciting approach to extending its international reach. Within the international tax arena, clients need to know they have the best possible legal advice in each location, so BLP’s approach of working closely with leading independent firms around the world is extremely effective in my area, as well as many others.”
Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a premier City law firm with offices in London and Brussels. Clients include FTSE 100 companies and financial institutions, major multinationals, the public sector, entrepreneurial private businesses and individuals.
The corporate tax team is one of the few tax practices in the City to deliver tax advice for both stand alone clients and to support transactions as part of cross-firm teams. It has achieved a reputation for very large, complex tax structurings and the corporate tax team has grown fees over the last three years by an average of 29%. In the last year it has led or supported a number of major transactions, including those involving BLP clients Tesco, GUS, Canary Wharf, Westfield and Land Securities Trillium, as well as acting for a number of banking and funds clients. The team is growing and with Neal Todd’s appointment will incorporate 6 partners, 1 senior consultant and 13 fee earners.
The team is part of the finance practice BLP’s finance practice which advises lenders, issuers and borrowers on all financing techniques particularly banking and capital markets, project finance, property finance, asset finance and acquisition finance. It is one of the leaders in PFI/PPP work and has been involved in several flagship schemes. It focuses on the energy, international infrastructure, transport and shipping sectors. The practice is responsible for almost a quarter of the firm’s revenues. Eight other lateral hire finance partners have joined the department in the last twelve months.