Asialaw Profiles
The Guide to the legal markets of the Asia-Pacific

Baker & McKenzie’s tax team is known for its experienced partners who often have in-house experience at the Big Four accounting firms and at banks. The Hong Kong office houses five tax partners and a team of 16 professionals. Bakers focuses on advising clients on tax planning issues, M&A related tax matters, employment, transfer pricing and wealth management. The firm’s strong Hong Kong litigation team is also a major asset to clients when it comes to tax disputes.

The tax team recently advised Fortune REIT on tax and trust matters relating to a listing transfer from Singapore to Hong Kong.

Partner Michael Olesnicky leads the tax team in Hong Kong and greater China.

The Hong Kong and PRC tax group within Deacons’ commercial department is led by James Bertram, who has over 39 years of experience in tax and trusts work and is well known in Hong Kong. Bertram and the tax team advise many high profile Hong Kong families on their trusts, estate succession plans and business succession plans, as well as on a broad array of matters that support Deacons other practices. Partner Sally Ip is also a leading lawyer in the tax group, and her experience handling disputes and contentious tax issues is a benefit to clients.

This past year, Deacons advised the French parent company of a Hong Kong subsidiary on a dispute with the IRD in relation to achieving a successful settlement for the taxation of royalties.

DLA Piper has one of the largest tax teams in Hong Kong, with three partners and 29 fee earners. The overall practice is headed by veteran partner Daniel Chan. DLA Piper’s tax professionals form a standalone group, but much of the team’s work supports the firm’s M&A practice.

This past year, the firm has been representing an increasing number of Fortune 500 companies and has also been developing its capability in more acute tax areas like transfer pricing, executive compensation, private banking and personal tax planning.

In January 2011, partner Stephen Nelson joined DLA Piper’s team and brought over 25 years of experience on PRC tax issues to the group.

Experienced partners Brian Gilchrist and Elaine Chen lead the firm’s tax team in Hong Kong. Gilchrist has deep experience when it comes to tax matters and has a history of advising numerous leading institutions and international corporations. Clifford Chance’s practice is also bolstered by the Hong Kong office’s strong contentious capabilities. Chen’s experience in civil and commercial litigation means that the firm is prepared to advocate for clients in contentious disputes at all levels.

This past year, the tax team has been working on mandates for several high profile, potentially precedent-setting tax controversies. The tax practice also supports the firm’s growing mainland China private equity practice, which advises clients in navigating PRC regulations and planning tax efficient exits.

Partner Julie Zhang leads Mayer Brown JSM’s tax practice through the firm’s Beijing office. The firm is the go-to practice for advising on tax matters relating to mergers and acquisitions, supply chain management models and foreign direct investment. Its tax professionals are experienced in Chinese regulations, tax, customs and foreign exchange laws.

Zhang recently led a Mayer Brown JSM team that represented Swire Hotels in relation to its cooperation with Sino Ocean Land for the operation of Beijing’s Jingtai Hotel. The team was able to help create a commercially practical and tax efficient arrangement. The team also advised AEW Capital on its purchase of the Beijing Metropolis office tower from HSBC Nanfeng & ECM. The team helped AEW to structure the deal and understand the effects of tax issues on pricing.