Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has recently recruited two senior tax associates, [private]Reshmi Manekporia and Georgina James, to join newly hired private client partner Murray North. Murray, who specialises in providing advice to ultra-high net worth individuals and their related trusts, controlled businesses and companies, joined BLP from Clifford Chance. Reshmi and Georgina also worked at Clifford Chance.
BLP has the largest and broadest based tax practice in the City’s legal market and is the only large City law firm to offer the full range of tax services. The team has been growing in size, capability and stature since the hire of industry leader Michael Wistow as Head of Tax in 2007 and Murray’s appointment brought the number of partners in the department to 23.
Reshmi and Georgina will focus on advising high net worth clients on international and UK succession planning. They will join an established and highly regarded Trusts and Personal Tax team. It includes senior practitioners, Ron Downhill, Martin Paisner and Anthony Bunker – who have market leading reputations – as well as the emerging players such as Paul Whitehead, Simon Phelps and Damian Bloom. The team’s cutting edge work has helped turn BLP’s Trusts and Personal Tax group into one of the largest private client teams in London. It advises on an exceptionally broad range of UK and international tax and trusts issues facing wealthy individuals, families and institutional clients.
The announcements are the latest in a succession of appointments for the BLP tax team. Business facilitator David Irving, who is concentrating on growing the tax client base through networks across BLP, joined the firm as a Director after a career in real estate and financial services with both UK and international experience.
Jonathan Kropman, BLP’s head of trusts and personal tax, said: “These appointments reinforce the team’s position as one of the UK’s leading private client practices offering a top level and very broad range of services. This breadth distinguishes yet further our leadership in advising the ultra-high net worth market. Clients who come to us for our trusts and tax expertise also benefit from BLP’s international services across the full spectrum of their commercial and legal needs.”[/private]
Ball Corporation has announced that[private] Douglas K. Bradford has been named vice president, financial reporting and tax
Bradford, 52, joined Ball in 1989 as director, tax administration. During his career at Ball, he has been senior director, tax administration; assistant controller; controller and VP and controller.[/private]
Ball Corporation is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2008 sales of approximately $7.6 billion.
Deloitte has established a new market-leading Dispute Resolution Group to help its clients respond to HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) radically changing approach to tax disputes.
The team, led by indirect tax specialist [private]Tony McClenaghan, includes six partners, supported by 40 staff and brings together expertise from across the fields of tax dispute resolution and litigation. The creation of this group with a broad range of specialisms builds on Deloitte’s recognised expertise in the field of VAT litigation.
Tony McClenaghan, head of the dispute resolution group at Deloitte, says: “The way in which HMRC is approaching tax disputes, including the introduction of the new Tax Tribunal in April this year, has changed dramatically in recent times. Their enquiries are more focused, penalties more likely and resolution through litigation much more common, whilst at the same time, we have seen the emergence of alternative dispute resolution processes. In this regard, Deloitte has proved to be highly successful in brokering settlement of some of the largest and most complex disputes, working with HMRC to resolve many years of issues successfully.”
David Sproul, head of tax at Deloitte, adds: “The Dispute Resolution Group will bring together the VAT litigation team, augmented by new partner and leading corporate tax litigator, Fiona Walkinshaw, and Deloitte’s London-based Tax Risk & Resolution team led by Tom Rowbotham. A team highly experienced in resolving high risk compliance process interventions will also join this group building upon our already market-leading capabilities in the area.”[/private]
Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP (Baker Tilly*) and Beers + Cutler have announced the merger of the two firms, effective December 1, 2009.
Beers + Cutler, based in the Washington, DC region, will serve as the firm’s east coast hub as Baker Tilly continues its national expansion. The combination of these two well-respected firms will result in a $250+ million firm with more than 1,400 team members, making it the 13th largest accounting and consulting firm in the U.S.1
“When we look for merger partners, we focus on the quality of the people and the reputation of the firm. There are many synergies between Baker Tilly and Beers + Cutler, and we see Washington, DC as a critical market as we continue to develop the Baker Tilly brand in the U.S.,” said Tim Christen, CEO of Baker Tilly. “As independent members of Baker Tilly International, we have been colleagues for many years, and together, we believe in the power of the network and the value it brings to our clients around the world.”
Beers + Cutler Managing Partner Ed Offterdinger will serve as Regional Managing Partner of the firm’s East Coast practice and will serve as Vice-Chairman of the firm’s Management Committee.
“Merging with Baker Tilly will allow us to better serve our clients while providing additional opportunities for our people,” Offterdinger said. “Many of our clients have business needs that are becoming increasingly complex, and they have high expectations of us. Access to Baker Tilly’s deep expertise and quality resources will strengthen our ability to meet our clients’ tax, assurance and business advisory needs.”
On June 1, 2009, the former Virchow, Krause & Company, LLP changed its name to Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP, becoming the exclusive U.S. branded firm in the Baker Tilly International network. The transition to the Baker Tilly brand is a commitment by the firm to meet the ever-changing global needs of its clients.
“Merging with Beers + Cutler, also an independent member of Baker Tilly International, will enhance our ability to serve clients and strengthen the brand in the U.S.,” Christen said.
With staff totaling more than 1150, Baker Tilly provides a wide range of accounting, tax, assurance and consulting services. The firm currently has offices in Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York and throughout Wisconsin.
Beers + Cutler was founded in 1976 and has grown to a firm of more than 260 people. It will continue to operate from its Vienna, VA location. Beers + Cutler has established a reputation as a leading accounting and advisory firm in the Washington, DC region by providing tax, assurance and consulting services.
“The merger is about creating opportunities,” Offterdinger added. “In looking out at the next five and ten years, it will become increasingly important to have a national and global platform to maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.”
Baker Tilly International is the world’s 8th largest network made up of 145 high quality, independent accounting and business services firms in 110 countries, with more than 25,000 professionals. The combined worldwide revenue of independent member firms exceeds $3 billion.
[private]Attorney-at-law Andreas Kolb joins Eversheds in Switzerland from Niederer Kraft & Frey to practice in tax.[/private]
Gencor Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:GENC) has announced the appointment of[private] L. Ray Adams as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, effective November 12, 2009.
Mr. Adams has over 30 years of diversified business, financial and accounting experience. Prior to joining Gencor, he was, for 17 years, the Chief Financial Officer at Oregon Steel Mills, Inc., a publicly traded producer of steel products. Mr. Adams also spent 8 years with the public accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand and held accounting and finance positions with Shell Oil Company and Crown Zellerbach Corporation. Mr. Adams holds Bachelor of Science degrees in accounting and business management from the University of Idaho and is a CPA.
Mr. Marc G. Elliott, President of Gencor, stated: “I am very pleased Ray has joined our management team. Ray’s strong financial knowledge and leadership ability will provide valuable expertise in support of our growth strategy. I look forward to working closely with Ray as we continue to build on our success.”[/private]
Gencor Industries is a diversified heavy machinery manufacturer for the production of highway construction materials, synthetic fuels and environmental control machinery and equipment used in a variety of applications.
[private]Iain Wright joined Friend LLP in September 2009 as a Director in the Tax Practice to provide corporate and transactional tax advice to clients. Iain is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser.
Formerly an M&A Tax Director with KPMG in Birmingham, Iain has a wealth of experience of advising companies, private equity houses and inward investors on the tax aspects of acquisitions, restructurings, disposals, international expansion and their general business activities.
Iain has a keen interest in India and is a member of the India Coordination Group led by Advantage West Midlands. He visits India regularly and has advised numerous UK companies investing in India and vice versa.[/private]
Friend LLP offers a broad range of professional advice and services to clients. These include Audit, Tax and Corporate Finance. as throughout the UK.
Outside Counsel Solutions, a full-service law practice, has announced that tax attorney [private] Devorah Pomerantz has joined the New York office. She was previously at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.
Devorah will be joining OCS’s Energy and Derivatives practice group, which primarily services Hess Corporation, as well as its Tax practice.
Devorah has nearly 15 years of tax experience, having previously worked as a tax attorney at law firms including Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, in addition to Paul Weiss. Her experience includes representing domestic and offshore investment funds in connection with organizational matters and on a transactional basis; taxation of derivative transactions; structuring derivative transactions to achieve tax-efficient results; and drafting tax opinions on a variety of derivative transactions.
Devorah graduated New York University School of Law magna cum laude where she was a member of the Order of the Coif, and received her B.A. summa cum laude from Queens College in Communications Political Science.
“We are delighted that Devorah has joined OCS and expect that her derivatives and tax experience, particularly in the formation of investment funds, and versatility will be a huge asset to our current tax capability and every aspect of our practice. It is a testament to OCS that Devorah has left a prominent New York law firm to join our New York office,” said Dov Schwell, CEO of Outside Counsel Solutions.
Devorah added: “I am excited to be part of a sophisticated group of attorneys, and I look forward to combining my training and experience with the collective legal experience of the attorney’s at Outside Counsel Solutions.”[/private]
