3 New Tax Partners at DLA Piper

DLA Piper has announced that 45 lawyers have been promoted to its partnership. The promotions are effective from 1 January 2014 in the United States and 1 May 2014 for EMEA and Asia Pacific. Of the 45, 3 are tax partners:

Makiko Takewaki‘s principal areas of practice are international and domestic tax laws. She is also very experienced in cross-border merges and acquisitions.

She is currently the location head of the Japan tax group. Her experience includes:

• Represented a Japanese hotel operating company as well as international hotel operators in numerous hotel management transactions for hotels located in Japan, China and Malaysia
• Representing a VAT consulting firm in analyzing the potential tax refund of consumption tax paid by their customers to Japanese mobile carriers and output tax risk associated with international roaming services
• Assisting a non-profit organization in the US with incorporation of their Japan operation in Japan and provide tax advice, including exemption from customs duty and consumption tax and set-up of the bonded warehouse arrangement. various issues associated with international service provisions and transfer pricing
• Representing a US based multinational company, manufacturing the personal and home appliances, in their buy-out of the joint venture, followed by global restructuring and provide tax advice in relation to the acquisition, post-closing operation as well as restructuring of global operation
• Advising a US based medical equipment manufacturer in their dispute with the Customs in connection with the customs duty and consumption tax imposition on the import of the products and assist to provide the transfer pricing analysis
• Representing a foreign government in their real estate swap transaction and provide tax advice in relation thereto and analyse the tax implications on related transaction
• Assist a Fortune 200, global science and technology company in their global restructuring and associated with tax issues involving mergers and acquisition of more than 10 Japanese subsidiaries as well as consolidated filing
• Representing a foreign central bank in analysing the tax consequences on repo transactions involving Japanese investors and withholding tax issues
• Provide tax advice to various multinational companies starting up business in Japan and assess risk a permanent establishment or tax exposure to the global operation arising from intercompany transaction
• Representing a medical equipment manufacturer based in the US with respect to the tax audit conducted by the Tokyo Customs in relation to customs value and toiya structure

Alison Maxwell concentrates her practice in international tax with a focus on operational structuring, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and post-acquisition integration. She is based in Washington DC.

Alison has assisted a wide range of clients, from startups to multibillion-dollar multinationals, in structuring acquisitions, cross-border financing, integrating legal entities and ensuring that the final international structure can efficiently meet both US and foreign compliance requirements. She has advised on large-scale international merger and acquisition transactions.

Alison is a frequent speaker on international tax matters. She also is chair of the Northern California Regional Steering Committee for the Young International Fiscal Association (YIFA).

Doris Ho is based in Hong Kong and focuses on advising multinational clients on their cross-border structuring, PRC investment and taxation. Specifically, she provides tax advice on corporate acquisitions and restructuring transactions.

Doris has advised on the structuring of PRC operations for multinational clients in different industries and advised on structuring expatriate employees’ relocation plans into China.