Asia Pacific (LAWFUEL) – Global legal services organisation, DLA Piper, and its exclusive alliance partner in the region, DLA Phillips Fox, have jointly received the “International Tax Firm of the Year” award at the Asia Tax Awards 2008 held by the International Tax Review.
The award was presented at a gala dinner at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore on Wednesday 26 November. Stephen Peepels and John MacKay, partners of DLA Piper, accepted the award.
“We are delighted to be honoured by this prestigious award,” stated Alastair Da Costa, Asia Managing Director of DLA Piper. “Our global structure and international perspective coupled with incisive knowledge of local tax regimes allows us to structure creative, yet efficient and effective plans which inform clients of the challenges and opportunities arising at different stages of the market cycle.”
“This award is a testimony of the success of our Asia Pacific alliance with DLA Phillips Fox. Together, our strong regional coverage across the Asia Pacific region means we have substantial on-the-ground capacity as well as the skills necessary to help clients navigate the complicated and challenging tax regimes faced by our multinational client base. Our relationship with DLA Phillips Fox affords us the ability to reach all corners of the Asia Pacific region in providing quality legal services. We thank our clients for their ongoing support and are delighted to be acknowledged by this award,” said Alastair.
Daniel Chan, Head of DLA Piper’s Asia Tax practice, said, “This prestigious award recognises the outstanding client work of our tax lawyers in Asia. The win is based largely on our team’s extensive knowledge and expertise in all aspects of local and international tax law. We have advised many companies from start-ups to multinationals on tax issues affecting their business activities and strategies. We also provide thought leadership on important developments in the tax area, for example the new income tax law in China has been the subject of detailed reporting by DLA Piper partners. Developments in the income tax law of China can have various impacts for companies and so the law needs to be closely monitored particularly given central, state, city and district authorities can apply different interpretations.”
Jock McCormack, partner at DLA Phillips Fox, said the firm’s relationship with DLA Piper was delivering value to clients that require international tax solutions. “Increasingly in this complex and challenging commercial environment, our global clients seek fully integrated tax and legal expertise to plan, structure, negotiate, document and execute significant business transactions. Our detailed market knowledge, industry expertise and deep understanding of our clients’ businesses, enables us to deliver an holistic and unique international tax service,” McCormack said.
In Asia, DLA Piper has more than 20 lawyers providing tax services in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai under the leadership of Daniel Chan and Patrice Marceau in Hong Kong. The team works seamlessly to deliver the full spectrum of strategic tax advice on regional, Hong Kong and Mainland China matters.
Over the last 12 month DLA Piper’s tax lawyers in Hong Kong/PRC have been involved in tax matters ranging from corporate restructuring to transfer pricing, from estate planning to establishment of trust structures, from compliance to dispute resolution, from supply chain structuring to business integration. It has clients from a wide spectrum of entities from individuals to investment funds, start ups to SME and Fortune 500 and Fortune 20 companies, from a range of sectors including manufacturing, retail, banking and internet services.
DLA Phillips Fox has developed its dedicated Australian and New Zealand tax team which advises on complex, high value cross-border matters for our global clients. In addition to international tax planning, including transfer pricing advice, DLA Phillips Fox provides full services on tax risk management and tax dispute resolution issues – including strategic advice on managing tax audits, seeking tax rulings (including advance pricing agreements) and managing objections, appeals and tax litigation. The firm’s core expertise covers income tax, goods and services tax (value added tax), stamp duty and other indirect taxes.
DLA Piper’s International Tax Practice consists of more than 200 tax lawyers and economists in offices throughout Europe, Asia, Middle-East and the United States.
