“knowledgeable, responsive, commercially minded and … an extremely calm presence during high-stress times.”
Legal 500 2023

Overview

James Hill is head of London's Tax practice. 

He focuses on the corporate taxation aspects of mergers and acquisitions, group reorganisations, and corporate finance. He advises clients on a wide range of tax issues including the tax consequences of selling businesses, structures for business acquisitions, intra-group transfers of businesses, international structures and treaty claims, solvent and insolvent reconstructions, tax issues arising on the exploitation of IP, partnership structures, the taxation of debt and venture capital investments.  

James also focuses on the employment tax consequences of share incentives, carried interest arrangements, bonus plans, and other benefits. He advises clients on various employment related tax matters including share options, long term incentive plans, flowering shares, employee benefit trusts, the taxation of termination payments, internationally mobile employees, disguised remuneration and the bank payroll tax.  

Lenguajes Hablados

  • English

Experiencia

  • Advised Patrick Drahi’s BidFair on acquisition of Sotheby’s.
  • Advised Vitruvian Partners on its acquisition of, and acquisition financing in relation to, Travel Counsellors, a UK based travel agents network.
  • Advised Halifax Group, a leading US based mid-market private equity firm, on the sale of the Pirtek Europe to PNC Riverarch Capital, a US-based private equity firm. Pirtek Europe is the leading on-site provider of hydraulic hose replacement and associated services across Europe.
  • Advised a major energy company on its merger with a UK listed company to create a multi-billion dollar upstream oil & gas company.
  • Advised a listed multinational on the restructuring and sale of one of its UK businesses.
  • Advised a UK based fund manager on numerous acquisitions and disposals.
  • Advised a UK listed company on its takeover by a US listed company.
  • Advised on the acquisition by an investment company of an oil refinery in Germany from a major oil company.
  • Advised on the disposal of a national daily newspaper.
  • Advised the UK arm of a major Netherlands food producer on the disposal of its Thai business to a private equity fund.
  • Advised numerous fund managers on the remuneration arrangements of their partners.
  • Advised a US listed company on the tax and legal aspects of its share incentive program across a number of European jurisdictions.
  • Advised a major UK consultancy group on salary sacrifice arrangements.

Educación

The London School of Economics and Political Science, LLM (Taxation, with distinction)

Chartered Institute of Taxation, CTA (Fellow)

The College of Law, York, LPC

Leicester University, LLB

Admisiones

Bar

  • England and Wales

Membresías

  • Member, Income Tax Subcommittee of the Revenue Law Committee of the Law Society.
  • Member, Employment Tax Subcommittee of the Technical Committee of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.
  • Member, Share Plan Lawyers.
  • ‘I have worked on cross-border deals with James Hill and Kitty Swanson and they are knowledgeable, responsive, commercially minded –  James in particular is an extremely calm presence during high-stress times. They also fill me with confidence in their ability to tackle any issue and they have good international reach.’ Legal 500 2023.
  • The Corporate Tax department is led by transactional tax expert James Hill - Legal 500 2021.
  • Mayer Brown International LLP’s tax practice is noted for its cross-border reach and its balance of transactional support and standalone advisory capabilities. James Hill is the other name to note - Legal 500 2016.
  • Highly regarded and a key contact - Legal 500 2011-2015.
  • Recommended in the Tax Directors Handbook 2012-2014.
  • He has "unparalleled commitment to helping clients achieve their objectives" - Legal 500 2014.