As a young lawyer who wants to work in a law firm, tax is a very highly rewarding area to specialise in.

It has low competition but high opportunity, and most lawyers are quite scared of tax laws in law school and afterwards. 

If you want to get into an area of law where there is no dearth of jobs no matter how the market is doing, and far less competition than other areas of law, then tax law is a great choice. 

India has complex tax laws. Despite significant simplification of indirect tax laws through introduction of GST, laws remain complicated and are changed fairly frequently. It is also a service that almost every business requires. 

With government efforts to increase the tax net, the number of taxpayers have been drastically increasing in the last couple of years. Number of businesses paying both GST and Income Tax is steadily rising, which is increasing the future market for tax lawyers and especially corporate taxation lawyers in a big way.

As the Indian economy is moving towards formalization from a mostly informal economy, the clout as well as market for tax lawyers is on the rise.

Government hires a large number of tax lawyers as it is going after non-taxpayers aggressively. 

One of the biggest area of growth for tax lawyers in tax advisory, and compliances, which is also done by accountants. However, advice of lawyers is sought after, and this area is seeing growth too. 

Apart from ongoing income tax, GST and other tax disputes, significant opportunities also arise in every transaction as tax lawyers provide very critical inputs with respect to tax efficiency of every transaction. 

Whether a company should be bought by acquisition of shares or slump sale, whether to acquire the subsidiary or the holding company in another country, how to reduce tax liabilities in each transaction - these things are decided by tax lawyers.

If you want to become a successful litigator, and yet earn well during your early days, starting your career as a tax lawyer is a good strategy. Some of India’s most famous lawyers such as Nani Palkhivala, Harish Salve, Arvind Datar etc. started as tax lawyers, and eventually became the most illustrious constitutional lawyers.

This is  partly because tax law matters are high stakes, and the government keeps coming up with new tax laws and changes in existing laws, opening an opportunity for challenging these laws in the court.

The opportunity to build big law firms is also very high for tax lawyers. Several leading full service law firms today were originally started by tax lawyers. Good examples will be Nishith Desai Associates, Lakshmikumaran and Sridharan, Economic Law Practice, Vaish Associates, etc. Ajay Bahl of AZB & Partners used to be a tax practitioner. In these cases, highly profitable tax practices eventually led to creation of larger full service corporate law practices.

In short, tax law offers opportunities like few other areas of law. It is evergreen, always in high demand and good tax lawyers are always short in supply.

Companies which earn thousands of crores have to pay taxes in hundreds of crores. They will go to great lengths to legally reduce their tax burden, which straight on adds to their profits. Naturally, it is lucrative to be an effective tax lawyer.

What is the career potential after doing this course?

• You can work in a tax law firm 
• All big law firms have substantial tax law teams. They do not hire a lot of people in tax law, but even the candidates who want to work in tax law are very few. Many lawyers are scared of maths and numbers and tax law definitely requires some quant skills.
• In-house legal teams also hire tax lawyers especially when they have many tax law cases going on. E.g. Telecom companies like Airtel, conglomerates like ITC, etc.
• You can build a tax practice in the tax tribunals and even High Courts and Supreme Court in tax matters. This is a very prestigious and remunerative area of practice. 

Big 4 accountancy firms as well as all other accountancy firms are always prepared to employ qualified and capable tax lawyers 

What is unique about this course?

• The course is not limited to a provision-by-provision study of the statute and associated case laws alone 
• The course trains you on different kinds of actual work that is required to be performed by tax lawyers and other professionals dealing with tax
• It is not a mere theoretical study, but hands on practical lessons where you will have to draft a lot of documents such as petitions, applications, agreements
• The course is tough and intensive, you will not be awarded the certificate unless you complete all the exercises. You have to spend 8-10 hours per week on this course.
• You will get personal attention and coaching from the trainer, and get individual feedback on the quality of work you produce
• You will be writing an article every month and with our guidance publish the same either on iPleaders blog or various other industry publications
• We will provide you a free course on professional networking, CV writing and interview skills so that you can easily find jobs
• Those who perform well in class will be recommended to top law firms for internships and jobs. If you do not need such help, let us know in what other way we can help you.
• After completing the course, you will be able to perform tax law work and be at ease with taxation aspects of corporate transactions, whether you work in a law firm, accountancy firm, pursue corporate litigation around taxation, help an in-house legal team in tax matters or want to establish your own tax law practice.

Who should take this course?

• In-house counsels in companies which face tax disputes 
• Law students interested in a tax law practice or working in a tax law firm or in the tax practice of a full-service law firm
• Young lawyers interested in working in a Big 4 Firm
• Lawyers who want to handle high ticket advanced taxation litigation
• Chartered Accountants and Company Secretaries who want to move beyond a standardized auditing and compliance practice, offer more high margin services  and even appear independently before various Income Tax Tribunals

Training methodology

Online 24/7 access

Access to basic study material through an online learning management system, Android and iOS app

Hard Copy Study Material

Hard copy study material modules to be couriered to your address

Practical Exercises

2 practical exercises every week, followed by written feedback

Live Online Classes

Based on the exercises, there will be a live video-based online class. You can ask questions, share your screen, get personal feedback in this class.

Convenient Class timings

Classes are held after regular work hours. Typically classes are kept on Sunday afternoon or 8-9 pm on other days.

Live Doubt Clearing

You can ask questions, get your doubt cleared live as well as through online forums

Certification

This course is recognized by the National Skill Development Corporation, a PPP under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of the Government of India. You will receive a certificate cobranded by NSDC and Skill India on successful completion.

This is how the certificate from NSDC and Skill India will look as per the current applicable format (may change as per the approval authorities):

What will you learn?

• Get exposure to strategic and drafting work in connection with corporate taxation
• Learn how to handle entire process from dealing with notices to defending tax cases
• Learn how to create a tax mitigation plan or do tax structuring for transactions
• Learn how to act on behalf of large corporations in tax matters and their commercial priorities 
• Apart from statutory knowledge, develop strategic thinking 
• Draft various documents, petitions, applications until you are conversant with each 
• Step-by-step walkthrough of tax tribunal proceedings
• How to defend your client or business in various forums
• New amendments, cases and ongoing controversies with examples of different industries 
• Get exposure to strategic and drafting work in connection with tax cases.
• Learn how to handle the entire process from replying to a notice from tax authorities right up to filing appeals before various courts and tribunals.
• Learn how to compile documentation and precedents for your case and how to present them correctly.
• Learn how to draft synopsis and written submissions before a court.
• Learn about new and emerging areas in Tax Litigation.
• Understand various aspects of client and case management.
• Get comprehensive practical knowledge of tax law from experienced tax lawyers.
• Learn how to act on behalf of large corporations in taxation matters.
• Learn how to set up and manage your own tax litigation practice.
• Apart from statutory knowledge, develop strategic thinking
• Draft various applications, petitions, appeals, reply to notices until you are conversant with each.
• Step-by step walkthrough of proceedings before various courts and tribunals under both direct and indirect tax laws.
• Learn about important tax tribunals, special courts and proceedings before high court and supreme courts.
• New amendments, cases and ongoing controversies.
• Learn how to structure, write and publish an original article. This is the first step to start building your portfolio of work and demonstrate expertise.

Principal Learning Objectives

• Learn how different business structures such as partnerships, LLPs and private limited companies are taxed on income and distribution of profits
• Learn how public trusts and private trusts are taxed
• Learn how to secure exemption for a public trust
• Learn about Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) and Alternate Minimum Tax (AMT)
• Learn about tax exemptions for startups and applicability of angel tax
• Learn how remuneration of directors, dividends to shareholders and profits to partners is taxed
• Learn about taxation of ESOPs and Sweat Equity
• Learn about taxation of royalty
• Identify when income of family members and relatives is clubbed and exceptions to the principles of clubbing
• Learn about deduction and payment of TDS for different types of income
• Understand consequences of non-payment of TDS and how to remedy the same
• Learn about applicability and payment of equalisation levy
• Identify when TDS is not required to be deducted for specific payments
• Learn about which deductions against income are allowable for professional and business expenses
• Identify how depreciation impacts taxation and methods of calculation of depreciation
• Learn about capital gains tax on investment transactions and exits
• Learn about carry forward of losses in M&A transactions
• Learn tax on partition and whether partition into unequal shares is susceptible to capital gains tax
• Learn about consequences of entering into benami transactions, Benami Transactions Amendment Act 2016 and powers of tax authorities
• Learn about consequences of holding undisclosed foreign income and assets under Black Money Law
• Learn how to disclose black money correctly
• Learn about major recurring and one-time tasks for tax compliance
• Learn about investigative powers of tax authorities such as raids, attachment and freezing of bank accounts
• Understand different stages of tax proceedings from issue of notice until High Court or Supreme Court Appeal, Special Leave Petition and Writ Petitions in Tax Cases
• Identify when your business operations are hit by international taxation
• Learn the basic models on which Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) are executed
• Learn how to find and read a DTAA and key tax categories in a DTAA
• Identify how the permanent establishment concept applies to international businesses
• Which kinds of commission arrangements qualify as permanent establishment?
• How are employee secondments are governed under international tax laws?
• Learn about tax credit systems used globally in DTAAs
• What kinds of information can and cannot be shared as per tax information exchange provisions under DTAAs
• Identify situations when GAAR applies and consequences of invocation of GAAR
• How to proceed when DTAA and domestic law provisions conflict
• Popular international tax structures used by global businesses
• Identify the primary benefits provided by tax havens to international businesses
• Distinguish what are the unique provisions in a DTAA with a tax haven
• Implications of Vodafone judgment and subsequent developments in income tax law
• How to identify round tripping and consequences of round tripping
• What is a controlled financial corporation (CFCs) and how different countries tax CFCs
• What is place of effective management (POEM) and how does it apply to businesses?
• Key components of the global consensus on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)
• Understand how thin capitalisation rules work and how that impacts the sources of business finance
• When to approach the Authority for Advance Rulings (AAR)
• How to settle disputes with tax authorities
• Learn about Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP) and Advance Pricing Agreement (APA)
• Learn about applicability of transfer pricing and different methods for computing arm’s length price
• Learn how to select an appropriate method for calculating arm’s length price
• Learn how to take benefit of Safe Harbour Rules
• Learn about when you need to pay stamp duty
• Learn how to identify and read the applicable stamp duty law and calculate stamp duty payable
• Learn about stamp duty provisions in select state laws for key business transactions
• Learn about consequences of insufficient stamping
• Learn about what are the types and rates of GST and concepts of supply
• Learn about forward and reverse charge mechanism
• Understand GST Registration and Input Tax Credit
• Learn about filing of different GST returns 
• Learn about Composition Scheme, TDS in GST, Tax Return
• Learn what are the various stages of proceedings under Income Tax and GST laws before different tribunals and courts.
• Learn basics about legal notices by various tax authorities.
• Learn how to draft replies to legal notices.
• Learn about the functioning of various tax authorities, tribunals, courts and their machinery.
• Learn how to identify jurisdiction of the tribunals and courts to try specific matters along with applicable limitation periods under the law.
• Learn how to establish cause of action, appeal and grounds.
• Learn how to read various abbreviations, tagging and nomenclature of various appeals, petitions, etc. by the courts.
• Learn about procedure of the High Court, statutory appeal and writ petitions.
• Learn how to save your client in different kinds of situations and strategies to deploy in different litigation cases.
• Learn how to draft petitions, applications and appeals.
• Learn how to calculate court fees.
• Learn all you need to know about reliefs you can claim in your appeals, applications and petitions.
• Learn all you need to know about formatting principles and rules for appeals, applications, replies and rejoinders.
• Learn how different tax authorities are appointed and composition of different tribunals and how it is relevant to litigation.
• How to draft statements of facts, reliefs and grounds under different appeals & applications.
• Learn how to draft responses to scrutiny/assessment notice under Section 143(2) and 142(1) of Income Tax Act, 1961.
• Learn how to draft responses to details called for by the assessing officer under Section 142(1) of the Act vide a show cause notice.
• Learn how to draft an appeal before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) along with applicable fees and supporting documents.
• Learn how to draft an appeal to be filed before the Commissioner of Income Tax against the assessment order of the assessing officer.
• Learn the content of an appeal set before the Commissioner of Income Tax along with supporting documents.
• Learn how to draft an appeal before the Dispute Resolution Panel for a potential transfer pricing dispute.
• Learn how to draft objections to be filed before the Dispute Resolution Panel.
• Learn how to draft an appeal to be filed before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal.
• Learn how to draft a rectification application to be filed before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal.
• Learn how to draft an appeal before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal against the order of the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals).
• Learn to draft an application before the Authority for Advance Ruling under different taxation laws.
• Learn to draft an application before the Anti-profiteering authority under Indirect Tax laws.
• Learn how to draft a writ petition before the High Court and the matters that can be challenged under the ambit of writ petition.
• Learn how to draft an Income Tax Appeal under section 260A of Income Tax Act, 1961 against the order of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal.
• Learn how to draft a special leave petition to be filed before Supreme Court dismissal of appeal by the High Court.

Money back guarantee

If you take this course, follow it diligently for a month, do all the exercises but do not find value in it, we will refund the entire course fee to you. It is a 100% money-back guarantee with only one condition, you must do it properly for a month. If you don’t find it valuable after that, get your entire money back.

View Refund Policy

Job and internship support

We are the only organization in India which teach this kind of comprehensive corporate taxation course. Many employers, law firms and companies are happy to recruit our high performing students. If you do well in your exercises and classes, we can help you to get jobs, internships and assessment internships in good law firms, with renowned lawyers as well as in various companies.

List of Weekly Exercises

• Identify how tax laws impact different kinds of businesses - companies, LLPs, partnerships, proprietorships, HUFs, etc. 
• Determine how to dividend payouts to shareholders, profits and salary to partners and directors is taxed
• Identify whether angel tax or startup tax is applicable to a specific transaction
• Identify which expenses can be deducted from business income
• Identify whether the obligation to deduct Tax at Source (TDS) is applicable in different situations
• Determination of tax on shares purchased upon exercise of Employee Stock Options (ESOPs)
• Determination of tax on shares sold post exercise of ESOPs
• Determine whether you are eligible to disclose black money under Black Money Act (multiple scenarios)
• Determine appropriate method for disclosure of various kinds of undisclosed foreign assets
• Learn about consequences of violation of Black Money Act and applicability of Prevention of Money Laundering Act
• Identify key pillars of tax compliance for individuals and businesses

     - Advance Tax
     - Tax Deduction at source
     - Filing of Returns
     - Tax payment dates

• Identify options available to tax assessee in case of a search
• Identify options available to tax assessee in the event of an adverse tax order
• Determine whether a business connection or permanent establishment exists in specific situations
• Identify tax consequences of issuance of shares vs. debentures to offshore entity
• Exercise on tax implications of a cascading loan transaction
• 3 article-writing and publishing exercises 
• Career building and networking exercises
• International taxation and DTAAs
• Exercise on Tax Implications
• Exercises on GST
• Exercise on GST Registration and Compliances
• Exercises on Transfer Pricing Disputes With Introduction to Basic Concepts of Transfer Pricing
• Exercises on How to calculate the Arms’ Length Price (ALP) in different scenarios 
• Exercises on Bright line test and arm’s length intensity test in AMP cases
• Formulate a litigation strategy and draft statements of facts, reliefs and grounds for a specific appeal or application.
• Draft response to scrutiny/assessment notice under Section 143(2) and 142(1) of Income Tax Act, 1961.
• Draft a response to details called for by the assessing officer under Section 142(1) of the Act vide a show cause notice.
• Draft an appeal to be filed before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) along with applicable fees and supporting documents.
• Draft an appeal to be filed before the Commissioner of Income Tax against the assessment order of the assessing officer.
• Draft an appeal before the Dispute Resolution Panel for a potential transfer pricing dispute.
• Draft an appeal before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal / Central Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal.
• Draft a rectification application to be filed before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal.
• Draft an appeal before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal against the order of the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals).
• Draft an application before the Authority for Advance Ruling under different taxation laws.