Andy Brown

Partner | London, United Kingdom
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Profile

Andy is co-head of the firm’s global corporate and commercial practice and leads our UK division.

Our global corporate and commercial teams work alongside our insurance industry client service teams and clients across a range of other industry sectors to provide strategic legal support across transactional, regulatory, tax and dispute resolution matters.

A tax disputes and white collar investigations expert, Andy has over 30 years’ experience acting for corporates and private clients across the globe on crisis related issues with tax authorities and regulatory and law enforcement bodies. With an “excellent barometer for risk and a practical approach to internal investigations”, he advises clients on the full spectrum of non-contentious and contentious tax matters, including complex and sensitive investigations, disclosures to regulatory bodies, alternative dispute resolution, tax litigation and defending criminal prosecutions.

Andy has been involved in many of the UK’s most high profile pieces of tax litigation, including some of the largest criminal proceedings in tax and money laundering. Best known for those matters where there is a need to protect a corporate or its directors in a crisis related situation, his unique expertise in white-collar crime encompasses all major financial crime areas, such as tax fraud, money laundering, bribery, and corruption. He has led numerous internal investigations into suspected irregularities, facilitating large-scale and complex disclosures to various law enforcement, regulatory, and tax authorities.

Andy has particular expertise in customs and excise matters, offering advice around both contentious and non-contentious issues, with a strong track record in handling tax disputes before HMRC for large domestic and international clients. He regularly advises on pre-emptive compliance as well as HMRC investigations and litigation.

With many of his clients operating across multiple jurisdictions, he brings extensive experience in managing complex, cross-border issues using his wide range of local counsel skilled in similar situations.

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News

Leading tax disputes and investigations team among latest hires as Kennedys corporate and commercial arm continues growth

10/10/2023

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Market recognition

  • The Tax Disputes and Investigations Team is ranked by Legal 500 as Tier 2 for Customs and Excise and Tier 3 for Tax Litigation and Investigations.
  • “Andy Brown has an excellent barometer for risk and a practical approach to internal investigations.” The Legal 500 UK 2024
  • “A very hands on and practical team with good experience of internal investigations.” The Legal 500 UK 2024
  • “Andy Brown is calm under pressure, experienced and carries the room with him when negotiating challenging tax points.” The Legal 500 UK 2024
  • “Strong tax technical expertise and an abundance of tax litigation experience in all areas and types of dispute.” The Legal 500 UK 2024
  • “Hardworking team with strong customs and excise technical knowledge and experience.” The Legal 500 UK 2024
  • “This is a unique practice in my view, with considerable strengths which compare favourably with their industry competitors because the members of the team have significant experience in this field which they are able to draw upon to provide expert advice and representation.” The Legal 500 UK 2024

Work highlights

  • Advising a multinational global leader in real-time advertising technology and programmatic media trading on resolving its global tax risks with an estimated value of $102m involving numerous heads of tax and jurisdictions around the world.
  • Advising a large retail chain on its appeals against multi-million pound excise duty assessments and related penalties.
  • Advising a leading steel stockholder in bringing tribunal proceedings and a judicial review against HMRC’s imposition of safeguarding duty and VAT on imports of steel products into the UK.
  • Advising a UK based renewable energy business on its appeal against HMRC’s assessments of anti-dumping duty, countervailing duties and import VAT in respect of imports of solar panels into the UK from China.
  • Advising the senior management of a manufacturing business on the contractual disclosure facility for deliberate overclaiming monies under the coronavirus job retention scheme.
  • Representing individuals charged with conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and in an alleged multi-million pound fraud.
  • Advising a national security and defence focused technology company on its transfer pricing position.

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