Megan Bishop

Expertise

Megan is Special Counsel in the Dispute Resolution and Litigation team. She has more than 10 years’ experience in State and Federal tax dispute resolution. 

She has assisted private and public companies, not-for-profit entities, individuals, trusts, partnerships and superannuation funds to navigate and manage State, Federal and inter-jurisdictional tax issues, including: 

• ruling requests and voluntary disclosures
• ATO and other Regulator powers in relation to access to premises and documents
• ATO risk reviews, audits and justified trust reviews and AusIndustry examinations
• ATO objections and AusIndustry internal reviews
• alternative dispute resolution
• tax litigation
• legal professional privilege disputes.

In addition to being a lawyer she is also a trained mediator.

Megan is recognised for her technical expertise and focus on finding solutions that are in line with client objectives. 

Experience

Megan’s recent experience includes matters involving the:

• advising on film tax offsets, including the producer offset
• eligibility of, and claiming expenditure related to, research and development activities
• capital/revenue distinction, carrying on a business and profit making schemes
• individual and corporate tax residency
• application of the transfer pricing rules in relation to financing arrangements, service agreements and intangibles
• application of anti-avoidance provisions, including diverted profits tax
• employee/contractor distinction including under superannuation, income tax, PAYG withholding and payroll tax provisions and implications of incorrect classification
• availability of tax losses
• thin capitalisation rules
• deemed dividend provisions in Division 7A
• Australian taxation of foreign pension funds
• compliance status of superannuation funds and options for disclosure and rectification
• application of land tax exemptions
• stamp duty landholder and corporate reconstruction relief provisions
• not for profit entity registrations and tax exempt status
• penalty and interest remissions
• common law around, and administration of, legal professional privilege claims
• tax corporate governance design and implementation.