DLA Piper appoints Melbourne tax partner

Global law firm DLA Piper has today confirmed the appointment of Adam Smith as a Melbourne-based partner in our taxation practice.  Adam is joining from Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF), where he has been a partner since 2019.

Adam has a broad practice across all areas of taxation including on cross border M&A transactions, corporate restructuring, property transactions, stamp duty and GST. Adam is also an expert in underwriting specific tax insurance policies. Adam works across all sectors but with particular experience in the Energy & Natural Resources sector, Financial Services/Insurance, Industrials and Real Estate. Most notably, he is a market leader in advising on the tax aspects of warranty and indemnity insurance underwriting, acting for all of the leading insurance underwriters across the APAC market. He will complement DLA Piper’s very strong practice in this area which is led by Corporate partner, Jyoti Singh, who Adam worked with closely for many years when they were both at NRF.

“We are thrilled to have someone of Adam’s experience join our taxation practice. He has a broad skill set across a range of sectors which will suit our client base. In addition, his deep expertise in the taxation aspects of warranty and indemnity insurance underwriting is a strategic opportunity for the firm,” said Amber Matthews, Australian Managing Partner, DLA Piper.

“I’m excited to be joining DLA Piper, which has such a strong international reputation and standing, particularly in cross-border M&A and across the Insurance sector in Australia, where it already has a leading warranty & indemnity practice. I look forward to contributing to the further growth and success of the firm,” said Adam Smith.   

Adam’s skills complements the other partners in the DLA Piper tax practice, namely Jock McCormack, Eddie Ahn and Paul McNab. Paul joined DLA Piper in 2020 from PwC in order to grow the firm’s tax controversy practice.