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Angela Wood

Partner
Head of Tax Controversy Practice, Asia Pacific
Melbourne
About

Angela is one of the leading tax dispute and litigation practitioners in Australia and DLA Piper’s APAC Head of Tax Controversy. 

With more than 25 years experience, Angela specialises in guiding multinationals in strategically navigating and resolving complex, high-stakes, international tax audits and litigation, often involving transfer pricing and domestic and/or treaty based and avoiding measures. 

Angela has deep tax litigation experience, leading landmark cases before the High Court and Federal Court in Australia. She is experienced in all forms of alternative dispute resolution.

Angela is sought out by clients for her highly strategic counsel and ability to balance taxpayer representation with productive regulatory relationships to achieve optimal results.

Areas of FocusTaxConsumer Goods, Food and RetailEnergy and Natural ResourcesTechnologyTelecomsLife SciencesAutomotive

EXPERIENCE

  • Successful resolution for an infrastructure client on a complex ATO audit related to stapled structures, addressing GAAR and transfer pricing.*
  • Assisting a multinational resources client with ATO audit of internal restructures, involving GAAR, MAAL, and transfer pricing.*
  • Providing strategic dispute management advice to a client in an ATO audit regarding transfer pricing and treaty shopping.*
  • Successfully resolving disputes related to the application of the Multinational Anti-Avoidance Law for a technology client.*
  • Resolving significant ATO audit issues, including Part IVA and transfer pricing matters for a multinational commodities business.*
  • Advising a foreign private equity fund and successfully navigating early engagement with the ATO to avoid a dispute regarding divestment in Australia.*
  • Providing tax advice for an entertainment client's offshore operations wind-up, addressing GAAR and CGT participation exemption.*
  • Advising an automotive client on the tax implications of a multinational automotive client's restructure, addressing GAAR and income tax issues.*
  • Advising a resources client on the FIRB process for a client's restructure and refinancing, focusing on GAAR issues.*
  • Commissioner of Taxation: acting in a significant mediation for a landmark related party financing transfer pricing dispute.*

*Experience gained from a previous employer

 
Languages
  • English
Education
  • Bachelor of Laws, Monash University, 1993
  • Bachelor of Arts, Monash University, 1991

Seminars

Diverted Profits Tax in practice (inc Pepsi High Court judgment) presentation and paper (with Eugene Wheelahan KC and Peter Walmsley, ATO), Tax Institute – National Tax Summit (September 2025)

Prior Experience

  • 2021 to 2025, Partner and Head of Tax, Leading Australian Law Firm
  • ASPAC and Australian Head of Tax Dispute Resolution & Controversy Practice, "Big 4" Accounting Firm
 

Connect

Phone

+61 3 9274 5055
(Work, Melbourne)
+61 400 988 723
(Mobile)
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