Charles Russell Speechlys LLP has strength in a range of areas, including tax-related professional negligence matters as well as trust and commercial disputes. The group acts for both corporate and private clients, both in the UK and offshore. Lead partner Hugh Gunson, described as ‘technically great, but also tactically astute’, has experience litigating tax at all levels.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘CRS is very well known in the market and this is one of their strongest teams.’

  • ‘Hugh Gunson - technically great, but also tactically astute. And very nice to work with.’

Lawyers

Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
Hugh specialises in tax disputes and investigations. His clients include internationally mobile high net worth clients and other private individuals, family businesses, trustees, entrepreneurs and corporates, both small and large. His practice covers the full range of UK taxes, both direct and indirect; including income tax, CGT, inheritance tax, SDLT, corporation tax and VAT. Hugh has experience of litigating tax cases at all levels, from the specialist tax tribunals through to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. A significant element of Hugh’s practice involves remedying unsuccessful planning (often involving complex trust arrangements), including by way of claims for mistake and rectification in both the UK and offshore jurisdictions. He also acts on tax-related professional negligence disputes and other trust and commercial disputes with a tax angle. Hugh is a regular conference speaker and frequently writes in a number of tax and trust related publications, such as Tax Journal and Trusts and Trustees. He is a contributor to the most recent edition of Clarke's Offshore Tax Planning and the upcoming edition of Trust Taxation and Estate Planning. Hugh is a Solicitor-Advocate (Higher Courts Civil Proceedings). Prior to joining Charles Russell Speechlys, he spent over six years in the tax department of a magic circle law firm and a year as a barrister at Pump Court Tax Chambers. Hugh has been recognised as a 'Rising Leader' in Legal Week’s Private Client Global Elite 2022. Hugh is admitted to practise in England and Wales.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Hugh Gunson