LTN Tax Conference 2025

Kelly Stricklin-Coutinho is a barrister at 39 Essex Chambers where her practice focuses on tax disputes (direct and indirect), commercial disputes and EU law (including state aid).

Her recent matters include VolkerRail Plant Ltd (& Ors) v HMRC [2023] EWHC Civ 210 on group relief, VAT disputes, environmental tax disputes, financial services tax disputes, advising in relation to environmental tax and inheritance tax in innovative biodiversity projects, acting for the British Medical Association in relation to challenges to the tax treatment of defined benefit statutory pension schemes, advising on an expert determination relating to Irish Law on REITS, and co-mediating with HMRC.

She taught tax law courses at King’s College London and Birkbeck for over 10 years. She is called to the Bar in the Republic of Ireland and is a CEDR accredited mediator. She is ranked in the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners.

Kevin is a partner at Hardwick & Morris LLP, leading the tax advisory offering of the practice as well as providing tax advice and support to Private Clients and intermediaries/advisers who need additional tax support for themselves and their own clients. His specialisations include:

• Taxation of high net-worth individuals, non-domiciled individuals, international families and their business/investment interests.
• Advice to trustees on international tax matters.
• The international taxation of performance, recording, endorsements/sponsorship and other income/assets for sportspersons/musicians and other entertainers.
• Experience in back duty and Investigation work including negotiating settlements with the UK tax authorities.

He is a regular speaker at international conferences and writes for UK and international professional publications.

Thomas advises and litigates on all aspects of direct and indirect tax with a particular interest in small and medium sized businesses and partnership structures. According to www.pumptax.com, Thomas is representing the Crown in several of the major cases testing the taxation of partnerships and LLPs (BlueCrest; HFFX; Odey Asset Management) and regularly advises on matters of partnership taxation including questions of the existence of a partnership or the consequences of incorporating a partnership into a limited company or transferring a trade to an LLP.

Michael Thomas KC is a leading barrister who advises and litigates on all areas of UK Tax. He tends to be instructed in matters which are technically complex and high value.

Keith Gordon qualified as a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser before retraining for the Bar. Since 2006, he has specialised in assisting taxpayers in disputes with HMRC and regularly attends courts and tribunals, ranging from the County Court to the Supreme Court. High profile cases include representing Kaye Adams (Atholl House Productions Ltd) and Eamonn Holmes (Red, White & Green Ltd) in their IR35 disputes in the Court of Appeal and Upper Tribunal.

He advises in all tax-related matters, extending to social security contributions and benefits as well as professional negligence matters, where he acts for claimants and defendants alike.

Frequently quoted as one of the UK’s leading experts on American tax, David Treitel is a widely known authority, writer and speaker on US tax. David heads the American Tax team at Oury Clark.

David is dually US and UK qualified and a long-standing member of both the Private Client committee at the ICAEW Tax Faculty and the Membership & Branches committee at the Chartered Institute of Taxation. David was the first IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent in the UK - way back in the year 2000 - and represented the ICAEW on HMRCs Expat Forum between 2007 and 2025.

Jemma Hotta is a partner at Oury Clark who specialises in commercial property and private client law. She is a US-UK qualified lawyer, who helps international businesses with their expansion to the UK.

Oury Clark is an integrated professional service firm being one of the UK’s top 50 accounting firms, Legal 500 and Tolley Tax Firm of the year sharing our market insights on UK and Europe.

With over 15 years of experience, she advises high-net-worth individuals and families on estate planning, succession, and complex tax matters involving trusts, corporate structures, and cross-border assets. Known for her strategic planning and litigation skills, Sangeeta has led and resolved complex trust and estate disputes.

Her judicial roles bring valuable procedural insight to her practice, enhancing her litigation strategy and evidential approach. At this year’s conference, she offers a unique perspective on good practices in the Tax Tribunal, blending practical legal expertise with judicial clarity. Beyond her legal work, Sangeeta is active in community initiatives, serving as a school governor, non-profit director, and pro bono advisor.

Stephen is a tax partner at Menzies LLP. He has been advising businesses and individuals on tax strategies for 20 years, and built his experience in a Big 4 firm.

He works in the transactional tax team at Menzies and his everyday work typically includes advice in respect of demergers, due diligence exercises and the tax structuring of acquisitions and disposals.