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Francesco is an associate in the tax team.
He advises a wide range of businesses and organisations on corporate taxation matters. Much of his work has an international dimension, with many of his clients having both a UK and a European footprint.
From a transactional perspective, he has particular experience in private M&A and corporate financing transactions (specifically within the technology sector, having advised at various stages of the venture capital lifecycle).
Whilst contentious work is not the focus of his current practice, he also has experience advising on the management and resolution of HMRC's information notices.
Prior to joining Withers, Francesco worked at a Magic Circle Firm.
Me in a minute
Getting my hands on a knotty issue and seeing to its resolution is what keeps me going
Solving tax problems can be especially fun when you are doing it for clients whose work you admire (be it a fashion brand, a university, or a truly innovative tech platform). Getting my hands on a knotty issue and seeing to its resolution is what keeps me going as a lawyer.
After dipping my toes in the world of tax law as a trainee, I knew it was the right choice for me. There is something incredibly gratifying about simplifying convoluted concepts and delivering a clean result for a client. Somewhat surprisingly, there is also an emotional element to the practice of tax law because tax issues can easily become incredibly frustrating to deal with for businesses of all shapes and sizes – being able to handhold a client out of that maze is something that never gets boring. The political side of tax law is also crucial, as behind each piece of legislation lies a specific policy intention aimed at steering society one way or another.
I cannot pinpoint exactly when I decided to become a lawyer but it definitely happened after the age of 18 (before then I was too busy trying to make it as a child actor to think rationally about career prospects).