Accounting and law firms clash over HMRC investigation

Accounting and law firms clash over HMRC investigation

Christopher Lunn rows with law firm over allegedly defamatory statements

CHRISTOPHER LUNN & Co, a Sussex-based accountancy firm, has threatened to sue a law firm as part of a dispute with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

Last year, CLAC said that HMRC refused to deal with tax returns it filed online, after tax officials visited the firm’s office as part of an investigation and seized files.

CLAC, which specialises in the media sector, is seeking to overturn the HMRC decision in the High Court. CLAC has described the taxman’s decision as “extraordinary”.

Earlier this week, the dispute took a fresh twist after a law firm, Bark & Co, said it would represent disgruntled clients of CLAC, who want to claim damages from the firm to compensate for any disruption to their tax affairs.

In a press release published earlier this week, Bark & Co said it would hold a public meeting with CLAC clients this month to advise them on possible legal action.

A spokesman for CLAC claimed that Bark & Co had made “defamatory and inaccurate statements”, and said it had contacted the law firm to demand that it withdraws and corrects any false statements.

A spokesman for Bark & Co denied that its public statements about CLAC were defamatory, and said that it was offering CLAC clients a legal service. He added that his firm had been approached by a couple of CLAC clients about the possibility of taking legal action.

HMRC was unavailable for comment.

Share

Subscribe to get your daily business insights

Resources & Whitepapers

Why Professional Services Firms Should Ditch Folders and Embrace Metadata
Professional Services

Why Professional Services Firms Should Ditch Folders and Embrace Metadata

3y

Why Professional Services Firms Should Ditch Folde...

In the past decade, the professional services industry has transformed significantly. Digital disruptions, increased competition, and changing market ...

View resource
2 Vital keys to Remaining Competitive for Professional Services Firms

2 Vital keys to Remaining Competitive for Professional Services Firms

3y

2 Vital keys to Remaining Competitive for Professi...

In recent months, professional services firms are facing more pressure than ever to deliver value to clients. Often, clients look at the firms own inf...

View resource
Turn Accounts Payable into a value-engine
Accounting Firms

Turn Accounts Payable into a value-engine

3y

Turn Accounts Payable into a value-engine

In a world of instant results and automated workloads, the potential for AP to drive insights and transform results is enormous. But, if you’re still ...

View resource
Digital Links: A guide to MTD in 2021
Making Tax Digital

Digital Links: A guide to MTD in 2021

3y

Digital Links: A guide to MTD in 2021

The first phase of Making Tax Digital (MTD) saw the requirement for the digital submission of the VAT Return using compliant software. That’s now behi...

View resource