‍Neil is a Principal in Sladen Legal’s Federal Taxes team who advises private business owners, founders, family groups, and their trusted advisers on all aspects of Australian tax law. An Accredited Specialist in Tax Law and Chartered Tax Adviser, Neil combines deep technical expertise with a practical, personable approach. His commercially grounded advice helps clients manage complex tax matters with confidence, including ATO audits, reviews, and disputes.

‍Neil's advisory and transactional practice covers the full range of private business and family wealth matters. He regularly advises on family-business structuring and succession planning, Division 7A compliance and remediation, trust distributions and restructures, and family trust distributions tax. On transactions, Neil guides clients through CGT on business sales (including small business concessions and roll-overs), cross-border investments for private groups, and GST on property developments and commercial matters.

‍When disputes arise, Neil represents private business owners and family groups in ATO audits, reviews, and objections, as well as appeals before the Administrative Review Tribunal and Federal Court. He works closely with clients' accountants and financial advisers to resolve issues efficiently and, where possible, reach pragmatic outcomes with the ATO.

‍Neil's expertise is recognised by his peers and the profession. He has been named in Best Lawyers in Australia for Tax Law each year since 2019 and recommended in Doyle's Guide as a leading tax lawyer since 2021. Beyond client work, Neil is actively involved in SME and private wealth tax policy through leadership roles across the profession.

‍Neil chairs the Tax Committee of the Business Law Section of the Law Council of Australia and serves on the Law Institute of Victoria's Taxation and Revenue Law Committee and Tax Law Specialisation Committee. He is a member of The Tax Institute's National SME Technical Committee, contributing to policy development for small and medium enterprises, and a member of STEP Australia, reflecting his focus on succession and estate planning for private clients.

‍Neil takes a practical, results-focussed approach to every matter, communicating in plain English and responding promptly to client needs. His clients include owner-managed businesses, family offices, founders planning an exit, professional practices, and high-net-worth individuals with Australian and cross-border interests. Neil is frequently engaged by accountants, financial advisers, and other lawyers as an external adviser on complex tax issues.

‍Neil regularly presents to professional audiences and contributes practical insights on SME and private wealth tax issues. He is often invited by accounting bodies and industry groups to explain emerging tax developments for practitioners and business owners.

‍Neil’s practice areas include:

• ‍company and international taxation

• mergers and acquisitions

• capital gains tax

• Division 7A

• trusts and deceased estates

• family trust arrangements including family trust distributions tax

• taxation of family law settlement arrangements

• cross-border financing

• inbound and outbound investment

• foreign currency transactions and the taxation of financial arrangements, and

• goods and services tax (GST).

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