ADR meetings: trust the process or steer clear?

Generally alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods of disputes can be an incredibly effective way for matters to be concluded without recourse to lengthy and often expensive litigation. When talking to other lawyers particularly those who work in different forms of dispute resolution they are mystified at the length of time that tax disputes can take to be resolved. There are horror stories of tax litigation taking a number of years across a number of different courts and tribunals before the matter is finally resolved (even though we can now ignore the possibility of matters being referred to the CJEU from the UK). The related time and fees incurred by taxpayers and advisers in respect of tax litigation is not insignificant and this is one of the many reasons alternative forms of dispute resolution in relation to tax should be popular.

Although it hasn’t...