International

  • May 30, 2024

    Tax Pros Agree With HMRC's Mandatory Agent Reporting Plan

    Two groups representing tax professionals in the U.K. have agreed with a proposed rule requiring practitioners to register with HM Revenue & Customs while also supporting a secondary rule that would require membership with a professional body.

  • May 30, 2024

    Russian Gas Ex-CFO Says $44M FBAR Penalty Is Excessive

    The former chief financial officer of a Russian gas company who was sentenced to seven years in prison for hiding money in Swiss banks told a Florida federal court that the $44 million in foreign account reporting penalties the government is seeking is illegally high.

  • May 30, 2024

    Panama Papers Leak Led To $283M In Swedish Tax Revenue

    The Swedish Tax Agency said Thursday it has corrected the tax assessments of roughly 100 people and companies connected to the so-called Panama Papers leak, capturing roughly 3 billion Swedish kronor ($283 million) in added tax revenue.

  • May 30, 2024

    Legal Advice On Corp. Setups Protected, ECJ Adviser Says

    A law firm's legal advice, even that concerning the setting up of a corporate investment structure, is within the scope of legal professional privilege guaranteed by European Union law, an adviser to the EU's highest court said Thursday.

  • May 30, 2024

    EU's Top Court Rules Spanish Regional Energy Taxes Illegal

    European Union energy tax law forbids Spanish regions to set their own rates for excise duty on energy, the EU's top court said Thursday, finding that possible exemptions did not apply in the Spanish case.

  • May 30, 2024

    Freeze On UK Tax Thresholds Set To Expire in 2028, Hunt Says

    Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said on Thursday that the freeze on income tax thresholds will continue until 2028, despite promises by the Conservative government to reduce the overall taxation burden in the future.

  • May 30, 2024

    Italian Rules On Internet Companies Unlawful, ECJ Finds

    Amazon, Google, Airbnb and other internet companies have won their fight against a law requiring them to provide Italian authorities with information about their operations as the European Union's highest court ruled Thursday that the obligation breaches of the bloc's rules.

  • May 29, 2024

    Irish Court Denies $19.2M Tax Payment To Australia

    The Australian Taxation Office lost a bid to have a now-liquidated Australian investment company repay a AU$29 million ($19.2 million) tax debt after an Irish court determined the payment should instead go to a lender.

  • May 29, 2024

    Colombian Court Affirms Fossil Fuel Tax Break Must Stay

    The Constitutional Court of Colombia affirmed its decision to strike down a law denying fossil fuel companies the ability to offset corporate income tax liabilities with deductions for royalty payments despite a severe impact to public finances, the country's president said.

  • May 29, 2024

    Baker McKenzie Grows Tax Practice With Ex-KPMG Adviser

    Baker McKenzie announced the hiring of an experienced Chicago-based tax adviser as a principal who most recently spent sixteen and a half years at Big Four accounting firm KPMG.

  • May 29, 2024

    Belgium Opens Pillar 2 Mandatory Reporting Form

    Belgium's finance ministry opened Wednesday its mandatory notification system for entities in scope of its implementation of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's global corporate minimum tax known as Pillar Two, starting a 45-day clock for such companies to register.

  • May 29, 2024

    Next UK Gov't Should Invest In Tax System, Pros Say

    Improving the administration of the U.K. tax system should be a focus of the country's next government if it hopes to improve economic growth, a group representing tax professionals said, laying out issues that need to be addressed.

  • May 29, 2024

    IMF Report Suggests Germany Should Increase Taxes

    Germany could consider increasing taxes to help pay for needed expenditures, an International Monetary Fund report said, adding that this would be a necessary complement to a more generous fiscal policy.

  • May 29, 2024

    Three EU Countries Urge Tax Reform To Boost Investment

    Three smaller European Union countries, Austria, Croatia and Slovenia, are backing tax reforms in the 27-country bloc to support investment in capital markets, including exemptions from capital gains tax for long-term retail investment products, according to a joint declaration.

  • May 28, 2024

    Lithuania Seeks CJEU Ruling On Gaming Co.'s $1.1M Tax Bill

    Lithuanian tax authorities have asked the Court of Justice of the European Union whether the past economic justification for a video game company's structure allows it to avoid €1 million ($1.1 million) in tax payments, according to court documents.

  • May 28, 2024

    Mich. Doctor Denied Release From Contempt In FBAR Fight

    A Michigan doctor will stay jailed for civil contempt after a federal judge found Tuesday that he failed to back up claims that he cannot pay his more than $1 million in foreign bank account reporting penalties due to a bank's bankruptcy and his criminal history.

  • May 28, 2024

    Global Tax Body Provides Crypto Risk Assessment Red Flags

    The Internal Revenue Service and four international tax authorities issued an advisory to financial institutions on the dangers of cryptocurrency in relation to tax evasion, money laundering and other illicit activities, identifying certain risk factors worth their attention.

  • May 28, 2024

    Tax Lawyer Rejoins Mayer Brown In DC From Latham

    Mayer Brown LLP has rehired a tax partner from Latham & Watkins LLP, who joins the firm in Washington, D.C., to continue working with clients to best utilize renewable energy tax credits, the firm announced Tuesday.

  • May 28, 2024

    OECD Issues Voluntary Disclosure Program Guidance

    The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development issued guidance for tax administrations that are considering implementing voluntary disclosure programs before adopting the group's automatic information exchange standards.

  • May 28, 2024

    Moldova Joins OECD Fight Against Tax Avoidance

    Moldova has joined the more than 140 jurisdictions looking to rein in tax base erosion and has committed to instituting changes in line with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's anti-tax avoidance standards, the organization said in a news release Tuesday.

  • May 28, 2024

    9th Circ. Won't Touch IRS Bid For Tax Liability On Bookie

    A bookie who pled guilty to helping run an illegal sports gambling ring out of Peru can't escape his ensuing $100,000 tax liability under a Ninth Circuit ruling that declined to expunge his conviction after he argued the taxes are disproportionately punishing.

  • May 28, 2024

    EU Needs Boost From New Incomes, Say Macron, Scholz

    France and Germany want the European Union to find new revenue sources for the common EU budget, possibly from new taxes, to finance investments in joint projects, leaders of both countries said Tuesday. 

  • May 28, 2024

    Greenberg Traurig Adds Tax Pro From MoFo In London

    Greenberg Traurig LLP added to its deep bench of legal talent by recruiting a tax partner from Morrison & Foerster to join the firm's London office and co-chair its tax practice, the firm said.

  • May 28, 2024

    Labour Party Rules Out Any Additional Tax Rises

    The Labour Party on Tuesday ruled out introducing any more tax rises in addition to measures it has already announced in the event it wins the July 4 general election.

  • May 28, 2024

    Lithuania Says Pillar 2 To Take Effect In July

    Lithuania's law implementing the global minimum corporate tax known as Pillar Two, which aims to ensure large multinationals pay at least 15% tax, is expected to take effect in July, the country's Finance Ministry said Tuesday.

Expert Analysis

  • 6 Pointers For Attys To Build Trust, Credibility On Social Media

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    In an era of information overload, attorneys can use social media strategically — from making infographics to leveraging targeted advertising — to cut through the noise and establish a reputation among current and potential clients, says Marly Broudie at SocialEyes Communications.

  • US-Chile Tax Treaty May Encourage Cross-Border Investment

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    Provisions in the recently effective U.S.-Chile bilateral income tax treaty should encourage business between the two countries, as they reduce U.S. withholding tax on investment income for Chilean taxpayers, exempt certain U.S. taxpayers from Chilean capital gains tax, and clarify U.S. foreign tax credit rules, say attorneys at Kramer Levin.

  • A Post-Mortem Analysis Of Stroock's Demise

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    After the dissolution of 147-year-old firm Stroock late last year shook up the legal world, a post-mortem analysis of the data reveals a long list of warning signs preceding the firm’s collapse — and provides some insight into how other firms might avoid the same disastrous fate, says Craig Savitzky at Leopard Solutions.

  • SG's Office Is Case Study To Help Close Legal Gender Gap

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    As women continue to be underrepresented in the upper echelons of the legal profession, law firms could learn from the example set by the Office of the Solicitor General, where culture and workplace policies have helped foster greater gender equality, say attorneys at Ocean Tomo.

  • Reimagining Law Firm Culture To Break The Cycle Of Burnout

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    While attorney burnout remains a perennial issue in the legal profession, shifting post-pandemic expectations mean that law firms must adapt their office cultures to retain talent, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

  • Cayman Islands Off AML Risk Lists, Signaling Robust Controls

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    As a world-leading jurisdiction for securitization special purpose entities, the removal of the Cayman Islands from increased anti-money laundering monitoring lists is a significant milestone that will benefit new and existing financial services customers conducting business in the territory, say lawyers at Walkers Global.

  • The Legal Industry Needs A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift

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    As law firms face ever-increasing risks of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents, the legal industry must implement robust cybersecurity measures and privacy-centric practices to preserve attorney-client privilege, safeguard client trust and uphold the profession’s integrity, says Ryan Paterson at Unplugged.

  • As Promised, IRS Is Coming For Crypto Tax Evaders

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    The IRS is fulfilling its promise to crack down on those who have neglected to pay taxes on cryptocurrency earnings, as demonstrated by recently imposed prison sentences, enforcement initiatives and meetings with international counterparts — suggesting a few key takeaways for taxpayer compliance, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

  • 5 Reasons Associates Shouldn't Take A Job Just For Money

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    As a number of BigLaw firms increase salary scales for early-career attorneys, law students and lateral associates considering new job offers should weigh several key factors that may matter more than financial compensation, say Albert Tawil at Lateral Hub and Ruvin Levavi at Power Forward.

  • The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Djerassi On Super Bowl 52

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    Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Ramy Djerassi discusses how Super Bowl 52, in which the Philadelphia Eagles prevailed over the New England Patriots, provides an apt metaphor for alternative dispute resolution processes in commercial business cases.

  • Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success

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    Amid continuing business uncertainty, law firms should consider adopting a holistic employee experience strategy — prioritizing consistency, targeting signature moments and leveraging measurement tools — to maximize productivity and profitability, says Haley Revel at Calibrate Consulting.

  • 6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice

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    An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.

  • Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga

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    Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

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