Heather Gething, Head of Herbert Smith Freehills’ London Tax Disputes practice, appointed a Judge in the First-tier Tribunal

Heather Gething, Head of Herbert Smith Freehills’ London Tax Disputes practice, has been appointed a Judge in the First-tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber) in England. Her appointment took place with effect from 9 January 2015.

The First–tier Tribunal (Tax) hears appeals against tax-related decisions made by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by both individuals and organisations, be they single tax payers or large multinational corporations.

A solicitor advocate and Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) Accredited Mediator, Heather was appointed after a rigorous process and on the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Commission in England, which selects candidates on merit through fair and open competition.

The appointment represents a part time commitment of approximately 30 days per annum and Heather will continue practising at Herbert Smith Freehills.

Global Head of Disputes Justin D’Agostino said: “This highly prestigious appointment represents both a terrific personal achievement for Heather and a great honour for the firm. She joins an illustrious list of colleagues and alumni who hold or have held judicial office or who sit as arbitrators or mediators, and I am delighted that she will be continuing this proud tradition.”

With 30 years’ experience handling tax matters on behalf of clients in the retail, manufacturing, shipping, energy, telecoms, financial and insurance sectors, Heather is acknowledged as a leading top tier contentious tax practitioner in both Chambers UK 2015 and Legal 500 UK 2014.