Richard Tidball Partner - Tax

Richard is a Tax Partner specialising in providing strategic tax advice to mid-market businesses and their shareholders. He advises on a wide range of matters, including acquisitions and exit planning, corporate reorganisations, R&D tax relief, capital allowances, ATED, as well as corporate tax compliance matters.

At a national level, Richard leads on direct tax matters for non-profit clients. He works with a diverse range of charitable organisations, supporting them with corporation tax risk management, Gift Aid claims, and the development of robust tax governance frameworks.

Experience

Richard joined the firm as a graduate trainee in 2013 and has since developed extensive experience across a wide range of transactions and tax relief claims. He now advises a diverse portfolio of clients, from early-stage start-ups to established and successful mid-market businesses.

His core areas of expertise include R&D tax relief and Patent Box, alongside significant experience leading corporate reorganisations and transactions. His transaction experience includes demergers, trade sales, management buy-outs, sales to employee ownership trusts, and IPOs.

Linked to his corporate experience, Richard has developed particular strength in restructuring tax matters, advising on both solvent and insolvent scenarios. He delivers commercially focused solutions in complex situations, working closely with restructuring and insolvency specialists to address debt restructuring risks and support large-scale corporate simplification projects.

He also has substantial experience advising charities and not-for-profit organisations, including social housing providers, educational institutions, public sector bodies, and international charities - helping them navigate an increasingly complex and evolving tax landscape with clarity and confidence.

Work highlights

• Led pre-sale reorganisation planning and provided transaction tax support for a UK video game business ahead of its sale to a US digital technology group.
• Advised on the transfer of a £100m property portfolio held within a Will Trust into a complex corporate structure involving multiple family investment companies, aligning with beneficiaries’ long-term objectives.
• Delivered technical advice on complex intellectual property tax relief claims, including R&D tax relief, Patent Box, and corporate intangible asset regimes, across sectors such as manufacturing, engineering, construction, and software development.
• Supported a Midlands-based engineering business through a pre-listing reorganisation and subsequent IPO on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM).
• Works closely with a UK university, advising on the commercialisation of research, tax compliance obligations, and on UK and international tax considerations relating to the running of overseas clinical trials.
• Contributing author to Research and Development with Patent Box (Third Edition), published by Claritax Books.