DLA Piper continues to grow its Transfer Pricing offering with the appointment of Melissa Kuster as a director in its London office. This is the firm’s third Transfer Pricing senior hire this year, following the recent appointment of partners César Salagaray in Spain and Antoine Faure in France.

Melissa joins the firm from EY, where she was an associate partner. Prior to this, she worked at Baker McKenzie in both the Chicago and London offices. Melissa focuses on resolving contentious disputes, including enquiries involving HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service. She has defended clients in complex enquiries with HMRC and has substantial experience in Diverted Profits Tax matters as well as the UK’s Profit Diversion Compliance Facility. Melissa also has experience appealing discovery assessments and getting HMRC to vacate assessments of additional tax. In addition, Melissa has a strong valuations practice, specialising in IP valuation as well as business valuations in post-acquisition integration across a variety of industries, including for technology & media, gaming, pharmaceutical and oil & gas companies.

DLA Piper’s London-based International Head of Transfer Pricing, Randall Fox, said: “Our transfer pricing practice continues to grow rapidly and Melissa’s hire forms part of the ongoing expansion of our practice, in particular as it relates to preparing for and resolving transfer pricing controversy. We are seeing increased demand for transfer pricing controversy related advice in both the UK and internationally and her skills and expertise will enable us to deliver an even better service for our clients.”

Global co-Chair of DLA Piper’s Tax practice, Jacques Wantz, added: “Transfer Pricing is an area which is increasingly important for our clients and Melissa’s appointment supports our active growth agenda. She is an excellent fit for our UK Tax and Transfer Pricing practice and her arrival will be hugely beneficial to our clients.”