Baker McKenzie has strengthened its London Tax practice with the hire of Sebastian Ma’ilei, who joins the firm as a Transfer Pricing Partner. Ma’ilei brings extensive experience in international tax planning, tax controversy, and transfer pricing matters, with a focus on clients across the financial services, insurance, asset management, renewable energy, and technology sectors.
Ma’ilei most recently served as a Transfer Pricing Partner at Deloitte in London, where he built a strong book of business involving complex cross-border tax planning and dispute work. Over the course of his career, he has worked with all four Big Four firms and developed relationships with large-scale insurance groups, traditional and alternative asset managers, and a range of multinational enterprises.
He will join the firm on December 1, adding depth to Baker McKenzie’s global transfer pricing offering and contributing to its expanding London-based bench of senior practitioners. The addition follows a period of significant lateral hiring activity for the firm, which has brought in partners across tax, mergers and acquisitions, private equity real estate, investment funds, energy and infrastructure, restructuring and insolvency, patent litigation and corporate M&A. Recent hires include Sam Trowbridge, Helen Johnson, Mark Thompson, Nick Benson, James Wyatt, Kevin Heverin, Indradeep Bhattacharya and Michal Berkner.
With more than 2,700 transactional lawyers across 45 jurisdictions, Baker McKenzie continues to position itself as a global leader in complex, multijurisdictional matters. More than 65% of the firm’s deals span multiple jurisdictions, and it has consistently ranked among the top three firms by cross-border M&A volume over the past decade. Its hybrid, local-and-global operating model combines international transactional capabilities with deep local market expertise.
The firm’s Tax practice is widely regarded as one of the strongest in the world and is ranked in more jurisdictions by major tax directories than any other law firm.
KEY QUOTES
“It gives me great pleasure to be announcing Seb’s hire into our London office. His deep client relationships, and expertise across established and emerging industries like renewables and technology will be a tremendous asset to our team.”
Ed Poulton, London Managing Partner
“Seb’s stellar experience in transfer pricing for insurance and reinsurance clients is the perfect complement to our top tier tax practice.”
Jessica Eden, Head of Tax in London
