Ingrid McCleave is Partner and Head of Tax, advising corporates, entrepreneurs, owner-managed businesses, family-owned companies, investors and high-net-worth individuals on a broad range of business and personal tax matters. She is known for providing commercially focused, pragmatic advice that enables clients to achieve their objectives while managing tax risk and preserving value.

Ingrid leads the firm’s specialist tax practice and also provides an outsourced tax advisory service to accountancy firms, law firms and other professional advisers who require expert support on complex tax issues. She is regularly engaged on transactions and strategic projects where specialist tax input is critical to achieving a successful outcome.

Approximately 30% of Ingrid’s practice is dedicated to corporate and commercial tax matters, with particular expertise in mergers and acquisitions, management buy-outs, shareholder reorganisations, private equity investments, joint ventures, demergers and corporate restructurings. She advises purchasers, vendors, management teams and investors on the tax aspects of share and asset transactions, tax due diligence, acquisition structuring and post-completion integration. Ingrid has significant experience negotiating tax covenants, warranties and indemnities in share purchase agreements and asset purchase agreements, ensuring clients are protected against historic and future tax liabilities. She also advises business owners on tax-efficient exit strategies and restructuring in preparation for sale, helping maximise available reliefs and enhance transaction value.

A further key area of expertise is employment taxation and employee incentives. Ingrid advises employers, management teams and employees on the design and implementation of tax-efficient share incentive arrangements, EMI options, growth shares, management equity participation and other employee reward structures. She regularly advises on employment tax compliance, pension taxation, the tax treatment of termination payments and settlement agreements, and the employment tax implications of corporate transactions and business reorganisations.

Ingrid also works extensively with private clients and family businesses on inheritance tax, capital gains tax and succession planning. She advises on wealth preservation strategies, family investment structures, business property relief, succession of trading businesses and the transfer of assets between generations.

Working closely with the firm’s Residential and Commercial Property, Real Estate Development and Construction teams, Ingrid advises on SDLT mitigation, VAT, property acquisitions and disposals, development structures, funding arrangements and joint venture projects. She is particularly experienced in identifying tax-efficient property transaction structures while ensuring compliance with HMRC requirements.

In addition, Ingrid supports the firm’s Dispute Resolution team on tax disputes, HMRC enquiries and investigations, settlement negotiations and Tax Tribunal proceedings.

Clients value Ingrid’s ability to explain complex tax issues in clear and accessible terms, combining technical excellence with a practical understanding of commercial realities. Her collaborative approach enables clients to navigate transactions, business growth, succession and dispute matters with confidence.

Ingrid McCleave

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