Solicitors & Other Legal Professionals – Resolving Serious Tax Issues

It Happens

Even experienced solicitors and legal professionals can encounter serious tax or VAT problems.

Heavy caseloads, client pressures, or long working hours can mean that personal financial affairs — or those of a small legal practice — fall behind. Sometimes it starts with a single missed return or underpayment. Sometimes the problem runs much deeper.

Whatever the cause, non-compliance must be resolved before HMRC intervenes. The sooner the issue is addressed, the better the outcome.

We Have Helped Many Legal Professionals – We Can Help You

If your accounts, tax, or VAT filings are in arrears, or you’ve received letters from HMRC, we can help you take control — discreetly and efficiently.

We assist solicitors and legal professionals with:

• Unfiled or inaccurate tax and VAT returns
• Arrears of self-assessment or partnership tax
• Practice finance or client account irregularities
• COP8 or COP9 investigations
• Voluntary disclosures of past non-compliance
• Time-to-pay arrangements and HMRC negotiations

Our team understands the high professional and reputational stakes. We’ve helped many in the legal sector restore compliance and peace of mind.

It’s More Common Than You Think

Many assume tax problems only happen to others — but even within the legal profession, serious HMRC issues are more frequent than you might expect.

Partners leaving a firm, changes in accounting systems, or unresolved VAT adjustments can all create cascading problems.

Left unaddressed, these can lead to mounting penalties, surcharges, or even disciplinary implications.

We help you face the situation calmly, repair the damage, and ensure future compliance.

What Serious HMRC Issues Look Like for Solicitors

Common patterns include:

• Several years of unfiled or incorrect tax returns
• Misclassification of professional income or drawings
• Discrepancies in client account reporting
• VAT arrears or missed payments
• Irregularities following partnership changes or mergers

HMRC considers high-value or repeated non-compliance as serious — but through proactive voluntary disclosure, penalties and stress can be significantly reduced.

Why Solicitors Delay Acting

In our experience, it’s not avoidance — it’s reputation management and fear of exposure. Many solicitors fear professional embarrassment or regulatory scrutiny. However, approaching HMRC voluntarily, with professional representation, almost always leads to a more favourable and discreet resolution. We ensure that your situation is handled with absolute confidentiality, protecting both your professional integrity and your peace of mind.

The Impact of HMRC Problems

Tax problems can have far-reaching consequences — personally, professionally, and financially.

Left unresolved, they can result in:

• Financial penalties and surcharges
• HMRC enforcement action
• SRA / professional body notifications in severe cases
• Stress, anxiety, and reputational strain

Our role is to bring calm and clarity. We take over correspondence with HMRC, negotiate on your behalf, and work to minimise both the financial and emotional cost.

There Is Always a Way Forward

We take a structured, confidential approach to resolving serious tax and VAT issues for solicitors and other legal professionals:

1. Initial Review – We discreetly assess your tax position and exposure.
2. Voluntary Disclosure – We prepare a full and accurate submission to HMRC.
3. Negotiation – We minimise penalties and agree realistic payment terms.
4. Compliance Restoration – We ensure your filings are accurate and complete.
5. Future Safeguards – We help you implement processes to stay compliant.

Even long-standing or complex cases can be successfully resolved. The key is to act before HMRC does.