Facing a tax dispute with HMRC? Our team of ex-HMRC tax barristers and solicitors can help you reach the best possible outcome. With decades of experience dealing directly with HMRC, we know how to manage investigations, negotiate settlements, and defend your position using proven legal strategies. Whether you are an individual or a business, getting confidential legal advice from qualified lawyers – not from accountants – can make all the difference in protecting your finances and reputation.
ACCOUNTANTS HAVE NO LEGAL DUTY OF CONFIDENTIALITY
Many taxpayers don’t realise that accountants are not legally required to keep your information confidential. Unlike solicitors, who must protect every detail of your case by law, accountants can – and often do – disclose sensitive information to HMRC. This can severely damage your position in a dispute.
Our team of former HMRC solicitors and barristers are experts in protecting your rights and resolving tax problems. We know exactly how to manage your case, control what is disclosed, and negotiate effectively with HMRC. If needed, we can also appeal to tax tribunals or courts and explore mediation to achieve the best possible result.
Resolving HMRC Tax Penalties & Investigations
A tax dispute arises when you and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) disagree about how tax laws apply to your situation; whether that’s your income, deductions, credits, or an alleged underpayment. These disputes can start during tax returns, audits, or after HMRC issues an assessment or penalty.
When that happens, it’s vital to have experienced legal representation. Our solicitor and barrister team regularly deal with HMRC to resolve issues, reduce penalties, and protect clients’ interests; often fixing mistakes made or worsened by accountants.
We are ex-HMRC / Big 4 Tax Litigators
Our leading UK tax counsel served as a HMRC in-house tax barrister and as Head of Indirect Tax Litigation at Deloitte and National Tax Litigation Director at PWC. Our Senior Partner has worked at KMPG, Goldman Sachs and ING Barings and is dual-qualified as a Barrister and Solicitor-Advocate. Both lawyers will be available to you at the outset in your first advice conference.
Taxpayers
Total number of taxpayers in the UK (2025-26)
Appeals
Outstanding Tax Tribunal appeals (2023-24)
Success
Tax appeals settled without hearing (2014)
Resolved
Tax appeals resolved by hearings (2023)
(Source: HM Revenue & Customs and the Ministry of Justice)
We have decades of experience in negotiating with HMRC and managing appeals against their decisions at all levels. Members of the team include qualified Tax Solicitors and Tax Barristers whom have vast experience of tax laws and first hand commercial, litigation and advocacy experience including previously working at HMRC as senior Tax Counsel and managing Tax Tribunal appeals and defending tax related CPS prosecutions.
Our ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Client feedback:
4 Year HMRC Battle Resolved
“Many thanks to the Tax Team who helped me navigate out of a four year battle with HMRC. Living abroad was a barrier in dealing with HMRC and it was immensely frustrating before I found LexLaw. Great communication, very knowledgeable, upfront in regards to cost and worth every penny in my opinion. Particular thanks as across everything at all times and highly professional.”
Delighted with the outcome
“So pleased to have been recommended LEXLAW and without doubt the best decision I made.
They were very professional and swift making me feel they had everything under control.
Of course, everything was resolved and am delighted with the outcome.”I cant thank them enough!
“Honest and simple talking solicitors that get the job done without ripping you off.
Very straight talking form the outset and a breath of fresh air.
They have really helped me on more than one occasion and I cant thank them enough and highly recommend them.”Done exactly what they’ve promised
“Very professional, most experienced solicitors I have ever met.
Solicitor’s promise a lot and do little but LexLaw team were different they did my work in a very professional and excellent way.
They have done exactly what they’ve promised when we first met.”Did more in 3 weeks than previous solicitor did in 7 years
“Very pleasant and friendly people my case was a long difficult ongoing problem. Lexlaw was like a breath of fresh air very professional they have done more in 3 weeks then my previous solicitor did in 7 years. I am so happy that anyone who needs help with legal matters I can only recommend Lexlaw.”
Think outside the box to achieve the best results
“Very committed”
“Resourceful legal representation”
“This team have the nous to think outside of the box, to achieve the best results for their clients.”
Instruct our Professional UK Tax Lawyers
Our dual-qualified Solicitor & Barrister team assess your case at the outset. We will quickly determine the merits and prospects of your tax dispute and then also advise you on how to obtain an optimal outcome.
CITY LAWYERS
Qualified tax solicitors & tax barristers with litigation and HMRC expertise. We are the only solicitors’ firm in England to operate from professional chambers in Middle Temple, London.
HMRC EXPERTS
Our ex-HMRC tax barristers can advise on tax matters such as appeals, penalties, investigations, Tax Tribunal appeals, VAT evasion, MTIC fraud, COP 8 or 9, seized goods, disguised remuneration.
Our Areas of Expertise vs HMRC:
We regularly take on HMRC tax cases in these areas:
HMRC TAX APPEALS
Expertise in dealing with:
Penalty appeals: Self Assessment penalties; PAYE/NI; late payment penalties; late VAT returns; late returns; corporation tax penalties; HMRC Internal Reviews; Notice of appeal to HMRC
TAX TRIBUNAL REPRESENTATION
FTT, UTT & Court advocacy; indirect tax appeals representation (Income tax/VAT/excise duty/CGT/Corporation tax); First Tier Tribunal; Upper Tier Tribunal; Out of Time Appeals
TAX EVASION & HMRC INVESTIGATIONS
COP 8, 9 & 11 investigations; section 144 enquiries; tax avoidance schemes advice: EBTs, SDLT avoidance, IHT schemes; voluntary disclosure; offshore tax evasion; disguised renumeration
Want elite advice from ex-HMRC Tax Counsel?
Want to challenge a HMRC tax penalty or fine? HMRC investigation? VAT issues? Problems with a disguised remuneration scheme or tax evasion? Need representation at the First Tier Tax Tribunal?
We are a specialist leading City of London tax law firm based in Middle Temple (Barristers’ Inns of Court) adjacent to the Royal Courts of Justice.
Our expert tax solicitors and barristers have years of experience in of working with and negotiating with HMRC and managing appeals against their decisions at all levels. Members of the team include qualified Tax Solicitors and Tax Barristers whom have vast experience of tax laws and first hand commercial, litigation and advocacy experience previously working in-house for multinational accountancy firms and as senior counsel at HMRC itself.
Our experienced lawyers regularly carry out work in many tax disputes areas, from advising clients on whether HMRC have followed the correct procedures to successfully challenging HMRC’s policies. We have specialist knowledge in HMRC internal processes as well as ensuring that we are able to successfully challenge HMRC decisions in the Tax Tribunals. We have a team of established tax and duties specialist lawyers with a proven track record of delivering authoritative solutions for our high net worth individual and corporate clients.
*Please note we do not undertake legal aid work and are normally only instructed on HMRC tax disputes that are of a substantial value (this is because legal costs are rarely recoverable in Tax Tribunal cases). Please see our costs page for more information.*
Don’t risk using an accountant against HMRC…
It is important to note that all client communications to accountants are not legally privileged and are easy for HMRC to obtain; however, communications to lawyers are legally privileged and highly confidential. Therefore it is beneficial to the success of many of our clients’ cases that we be instructed to instruct an experienced forensic accountant on your behalf. Although you may have instructed an accountant in relation to your accounts and tax matters for yourself or your business, in most cases your accountant should realistically only assist you in tax compliance matters whereas we specialise in assisting you in relation to any investigations that HMRC have brought against you. We regularly work with accountants to ensure that collectively we are able to obtain the best possible resolution to your matter.
Our ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Client feedback:
4 Year HMRC Battle Resolved
“Many thanks to the Tax Team who helped me navigate out of a four year battle with HMRC. Living abroad was a barrier in dealing with HMRC and it was immensely frustrating before I found LexLaw. Great communication, very knowledgeable, upfront in regards to cost and worth every penny in my opinion. Particular thanks as across everything at all times and highly professional.”
Delighted with the outcome
“So pleased to have been recommended LEXLAW and without doubt the best decision I made.
They were very professional and swift making me feel they had everything under control.
Of course, everything was resolved and am delighted with the outcome.”I cant thank them enough!
“Honest and simple talking solicitors that get the job done without ripping you off.
Very straight talking form the outset and a breath of fresh air.
They have really helped me on more than one occasion and I cant thank them enough and highly recommend them.”Done exactly what they’ve promised
“Very professional, most experienced solicitors I have ever met.
Solicitor’s promise a lot and do little but LexLaw team were different they did my work in a very professional and excellent way.
They have done exactly what they’ve promised when we first met.”Did more in 3 weeks than previous solicitor did in 7 years
“Very pleasant and friendly people my case was a long difficult ongoing problem. Lexlaw was like a breath of fresh air very professional they have done more in 3 weeks then my previous solicitor did in 7 years. I am so happy that anyone who needs help with legal matters I can only recommend Lexlaw.”
Think outside the box to achieve the best results
“Very committed”
“Resourceful legal representation”
“This team have the nous to think outside of the box, to achieve the best results for their clients.”
Featured guide on HMRC Disputes & Investigations
The Company Director’s Guide on managing HMRC disputes
Our specialist tax team regularly provide market leading advice to directors of companies and limited liability partnerships.
Our work has featured in KSA Group‘s Worried Directors Guide 2018, including our authoritative guide on HMRC tax disputes and investigations.
Latest HMRC Cases & UK Tax Litigation News
UK Tax Litigation Legal News from London’s leading tax solicitors & barristers:
How to Respond to COP8 & COP9 HMRC Tax Investigations (2026 Guide)
How to Challenge a VAT Assessment (2026 Guide)
HMRC Behaviour Assessments: Careless, Deliberate, or Concealed?
HMRC Crypto Information Requests: What UK Taxpayers Must Disclose
R&D Tax Relief Enquiries & Penalty Mitigation
Section 396B ITTOIA 2005: HMRC Phoenixing TAAR & Winding-Up Distributions Explained
Section 396B of the Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005 (ITTOIA) is a targeted anti-avoidance rule (TAAR) that affects many owner-managed companies, landlords operating through corporate vehicles, and high-net-worth individuals planning solvent liquidations. It allows HMRC to reclassify certain winding-up distributions as income, rather than capital, where the taxpayer goes on to carry out the same or a similar trade. This can dramatically increase the tax payable, particularly where shareholders expected capital gains treatment or Business Asset Disposal Relief, and instead face higher dividend rates. Unsurprisingly, Section 396B issues now feature regularly in HMRC enquiries, compliance checks, and…
Personal Liability Notices (PLNs): Defence Strategies for Directors
Couple Wins £1.7M Stamp Duty Refund Battle Against HMRC
NIC Reclassification Disputes: Employment vs Self-Employment
Understanding the UK’s Statutory Residence Test (SRT): A Guide for Taxpayers and Expats
Delaying Payments During an Appeal
Tribunal Rules No Jurisdiction on Legitimate Expectation in Tax Appeal
Want legal advice from Tax Solicitors on your case?
Our simple enquiry form goes immediately to our tax litigators in Middle Temple, London. Call us on +442071830529 from 9am-6pm.