has a wide ranging practice which includes business tax, employment tax and private client matters, in both the advisory and litigation contexts.  He advises on business taxation at both the company and shareholder level, including on VAT, stamp taxes, customs duties, the tax treatment of Islamic finance and international tax (including EU law). He has a special interest in the interplay between tax and accounting, and in the taxation of partnerships. On the employment side he advises on remuneration planning, status disputes and PAYE matters. His private client practice is broad but has a particular focus on the tax treatment of non-UK domiciled individuals. Litigation is an important part of his work and has taken him to the Tax Tribunal, the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

Despite his mixed European ancestry, the forebear of whom he is most proud is Admiral Nelson, from whose example he has learnt two lessons: first to bring the greatest possible firepower to bear in solving any tax problem and, secondly, that every tax barrister must do his duty to the client. However he knows that, in dealing with tax, you must consider all angles. As a client once put it to him, if you cover your eyes, it does not mean that people cannot see you.

He enjoys the ludic qualities of taxation but has learnt through sorry experience that it is best not to mention this at dinner parties.

Outside work, Laurent’s interests are primarily language-focused. He speaks French and Italian fluently, can have a good go at German if he needs to and also speaks emergency Russian and aspirational Egyptian Arabic (the last of which he is looking to build upon in spare moments). His occasional holidays are spent, with his wife and son, in warmer climes.

Affiliations and memberships:

Visiting lecturer on the LLM (Adv.) in International Taxation, Leiden University, Netherlands
International Fiscal Association
Revenue Bar Association
Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales

Previous experience:

Before coming to the Bar, Laurent qualified as a chartered accountant and gained several years' experience in the tax department of a city law firm.

Education:

BA (Modern languages) (Oxford University, First Class Honours)
ACA (Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales)
Postgraduate Diploma in Law (City University, Distinction)
Legal Practice Course (College of Law, Distinction)

Legal Directory Comments:

Chambers and Partners’ Guide to the UK Legal Profession 2012: "Clients are also effusive in their praise of Laurent Sykes, who is 'absolutely brilliant thanks to his meticulous attention to detail and his ability to put across a complex subject in a simple way.' His experience as both a solicitor and a chartered accountant means he has key expertise, particularly in accountancy-based tax disputes."

Chambers and Partners’ Guide to the UK Legal Profession 2011: "Laurent Sykes is ‘a confident, responsive and commercially minded junior.’ Formerly at Freshfields, he has only been at the Bar for a matter of three years or so but has knowledge way beyond his call year due to his stint as a solicitor. Excellent at all he does and particularly good on Islamic finance, he is well liked as he has ‘an infectious desire to win.’ "