Maddocks

Background

Chris has more than 25 years' experience consulting to leading Australian corporates and financial institutions on Australian income tax matters, including tax reviews, tax audits and tax disputes.

Chris's principle focus is assisting clients with potential and actual tax disputes with the Commissioner of Taxation, and advising clients on their taxation affairs. He has broad experience in all areas of taxation law including tax disputes, tax consolidation, CGT, tax losses, structuring of M&A transactions, financing transactions, TOFA, complex audit matters, corporate re-organisations, capital raisings, hybrid instruments, cross-border advice on financing arrangements, and the tax anti-avoidance provisions.

Prior to joining Maddocks, Chris was a senior tax partner with a Big 4 accountancy firm for many years, and the partner in charge of the financial services tax group of that firm for six years.

In addition to being a lawyer, Chris is a qualified chartered accountant. Internationally, he has practised in London and Singapore.

Experience

Tax controversy

  • Advising on ATO compliance risk reviews and audits.
  • Conducting tax litigation and advising on dispute resolution.
  • Advising on general anti-avoidance provisions, specifically Part IVA.
  • Advising clients on managing their relationships with the ATO.
  • Freedom of Information and access advice.
  • Advising chartered accounting firms on their client's tax affairs.
  • Second opinion reviews for clients of their contentious tax positions and potential tax exposures.
  • Conducting  tax disputes involving the tax exempt status of the taxpayer.
  • Advising a top 20 Australian company on a two-year, large case tax audit.
  • Advising a foreign-owned financial institution on an ATO review of its transfer pricing practices and documentation.
  • Advising a number of taxpayers on actual and potential tax disputes concerning Project Wickenby.
  • Conducting a tax dispute involving the evidentiary issues arising from a cross-border financing arrangement.

Tax advice

  • Business taxation advice including corporate tax generally, tax consolidation, CGT, tax losses, structuring M&A transactions.
  • Advising on taxation issues for financial institutions including TOFA.
  • Advising on cross-border taxation issues.
  • Advising on GST issues, especially for financial institutions.
  • Due diligence reviews for acquisitions and potential floats of private companies.
  • Advising a Big 4 Australian bank on tax consolidation issues arising from its acquisition of a leading regional bank.
  • Advising a top 100, ASX-listed company on its acquisition of a top 200, ASX-listed company.
  • Advising on the merger of two foreign-owned investment banks.
  • Advising three Australian top 100, ASX-listed companies and three foreign-owned investment banks on their implementation of the Australian tax consolidation regime.
  • Advising clients on the implications of the Bamford High Court decision and updating trust deeds.