Tax

A Sydney barrister has been found guilty of contempt in a fight with his chambers over $112,000 in alleged unpaid fees after he failed to follow court orders to hand over his financial documents and did not explain why he had not filed tax returns since 2016.

Dentons has hired a lawyer from HWL Ebsworth to join the tax practice in its Brisbane office.

Law firm Mills Oakley is seeking summary judgment in a lawsuit alleging it gave negligent advice about demolishing an inherited property, which allegedly resulted in the loss of a capital gains tax exemption.

A judge won't recuse himself from hearing cases against the tax office by Macrolend and Paladin Hydrogen over concerns of apprehended bias because his wife -- a colleague on the bench -- had ruled on a related matter.

Hilton has filed an appeal after losing a challenge to a $173 million tax adjustment from the 2015 sale of the Sydney Hilton Hotel.

Japan-based Optimus has sued Grant Thornton for allegedly giving negligent restructuring advice following its acquisition of dealership group Autopact, which resulted in the company owing $3 million in stamp duty, income tax and other costs.

The High Court has declined Tabcorp's special leave application seeking to overturn a ruling that found it was not entitled to a $1.49 billion tax deduction for loss when a licence with the state of Victoria expired in 2012.

Hilton has lost its challenge to a $173 million tax adjustment from the 2015 sale of the Sydney Hilton Hotel, with a judge finding the transaction was entered into for the dominant purpose of obtaining a tax benefit. 

DLA Piper has recruited MinterEllison tax partner Craig Silverwood to become its new head of transfer pricing for the Asia Pacific region.