Launched in 2001, Forbes Dawson was the brainchild of Michael Dawson, who saw a gap in the market for a specialist, tax-only firm.
Growing quickly, the firm went from strength to strength, leading to the acquisition by Numerica Plc in 2004.
By that time Forbes Dawson had built up a stellar reputation for being a creative and considered firm of tax advisers, favoured by high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurs as well as being a trusted expert partner to other professional firms.
After eight years operating as a successful specialist function within Numerica and later BDO, there was a collective feeling among the founder members that the firm’s identity and values, upon which its reputation was built, was sometimes diluted within a national firm.
Forbes Dawson therefore decided to re-launch in 2012 as a standalone firm, bringing it, and the original partners, full-circle – returning to an independent, tax-only consultancy, focused on delivering specialist advice and business support but with the all-important personal touch.
“We have been advised by the team at Forbes Dawson from the outset of their new business and have been delighted with their service so far. Their specialist knowledge in all the various tax areas has been proven to be excellent and this has been delivered by Michael and his team in a very personal and friendly way.
Forbes Dawson have all the benefits of being a private smaller practice in terms of speed of service and attention to detail however the people also have the skills more associated with larger organisations in our view, so this represents the best of both worlds. We would have no hesitation in recommending them for any type of tax advice and we look forward to a long association with them.”
“Forbes Dawson are a specialist tax firm for successful entrepreneurs. All our shareholders have used them for key aspects of their personal planning. I know that they get most of their work by recommendation and have grown fast over the last 12 months. They have a very good reputation amongst fellow professionals, and we look forward to working with them on future projects.
Michael and his team at Forbes Dawson have provided several streams of advice that combine the technical rigour and detail that is associated with a large firm with the nimbleness and responsiveness of an owner-managed partnership. They have owned each transaction from start to finish and have delivered calm advice and practical solutions that have withstood changing dynamics in our business and the wider market.”
“Having engaged Forbes Dawson in 2012 to look after our corporate & personal taxes, we have been very impressed with their attention to detail and excellent communications. They have been attentive to our proposed business development plans and at all stages provided clear and concise tax advice to enable us to make informed decisions without the worry of unplanned tax consequences arising. They have also dealt effectively on our behalf with HMRC allowing us to get on with running our business.”
“I find the team at Forbes Dawson very approachable and easy to contact. As a private client a fast response is important to me , and I receive advice out of office hours where this is necessary.”
“The advice is always carefully considered and presented with calmness. Forbes Dawson manage the implementation required in an expeditious and decisive manner”
“As a firm we have now used the Forbes Dawson team for a good many years and regularly recommend them to our clients when specialist tax work is involved. They always provide a quality professional service, but with that all important personal touch. They are also always up to speed on complex tax legislation and changes to the corporate and personal tax systems, and we are very satisfied with the level of service that both our clients and ourselves receive.”
“Michael and his team hold a unique set of skills in the tax arena on both corporate and individual tax planning. We always feel the more complicated the client’s tax issues the more Michael and his team enjoy the challenge. You will be hard pressed to find tax advisors that have the in-depth tax knowledge that Michael and his team hold. On numerous occasions, we have requested tax solutions for clients They are predominantly owner managed businesses, and therefore require advice on both corporation tax and individual tax issues; Michael’s team hold the skills to provide the interaction between all types of taxes.”
“Forbes Dawson brings together well respected tax practitioners with “large firm” backgrounds to provide bespoke and practical tax advice to an impressive client base. Forbes Dawson has the expertise to deal with a wide range of complex tax matters including offshore trusts and issues affecting non UK domiciled clients. In my experience the service is client focussed and the partners’ experience of negotiating with HMRC delivers commercial results for clients delivered in a way in which the client can easily understand.”
