About Shaun
Shaun Cartoon is a creative and commercially focused tax lawyer. He is a partner of Arnold Bloch Leibler’s tax practice.
Shaun advises a range of clients, including ASX listed companies, high-net-worth individuals and large private groups. Shaun practices in corporate, international and employment taxes, with particular expertise in mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructures and employee share schemes. He also assists clients to navigate complex tax disputes with the Australian Taxation Office and has litigated significant cases through the Australian courts.
Shaun has been ranked in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a Band 1 Next Generation Partner in Tax and is also recognised by Doyle's Guide as a leading tax lawyer. Shaun has been recognised as a ‘star’ advisor in employee share schemes by the Global Equity Organization and was selected to join its inaugural class of Fellows.
Shaun’s clients describe him as being “accessible” and having “a strong command of technical detail and the ability to apply this to complex situations in a pragmatic and commercial manner”.
Shaun commenced his legal career at Arnold Bloch Leibler in 2006. In 2011 he moved to London, where he practiced law at a Magic Circle firm. Upon his return to Australia, he practiced law at a top tier law firm. Shaun returned to the firm as a partner in November 2020.
Ranked as a Band 1 Next Generation Partner in Tax
Practice focus
Shaun’s practice focuses on the following areas:
- executive compensation and benefits, including employee share schemes
- advising on all stages of ATO audits and disputes
- corporate and international income tax, including the Australian tax implications of mergers and acquisitions, consolidation, group restructuring, investment into and out of Australia, and the application of Australia's tax treaty network
- taxation issues affecting individuals including the taxation of offshore assets and structures, issues and disputes concerning tax residency and advising on asset protection, and
- taxation of trusts and funds.
Experience
Shaun has acted for both domestic and international clients in a wide range of taxation matters, including:
Corporate clients
- Tripp Group and Tekkorp Holdings: in relation to the tax aspects of the launch of a new Australian online wagering business, betr
- Market Eye: in relation to the tax aspects of its sale to one of Australia's largest registry businesses, Automic Group
- a multi-national pharmaceutical group: in relation to a significant transfer pricing audit
- a multi-national energy company: in relation to a large tax dispute
- a number of leading Australian and foreign companies and funds: in relation to the Australian income tax consequences of mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions
- a number of leading ASX listed companies, share registries, employee share trust providers, private companies and start-ups: in relation to all aspects of the design and implementation of employee share schemes, and
- various clients: in relation to on making voluntary disclosures under the Superannuation Guarantee Amnesty.
Private clients
- Shaun is a go-to tax advisor for a number of Young Rich Listers in relation to the tax effective structuring of their family groups
- advised a high-wealth individual in an income tax dispute in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, and
- advised a high wealth family group in a large business sale and subsequent engagement with the ATO’s Commercial Deals Team.
Directorships & memberships
Shaun is:
- a Fellow of the Global Equity Organization
- a Fellow of The Tax Institute
- Vice Chairman of The Tax Institute’s Breakfast Club
- a member of The Tax Institute’s Superannuation and Employment Taxes Technical Committees, and
- a member of the International Fiscal Association.
Awards & recognition
Shaun is recognised as a leading lawyer by various international guides to lawyers and law firms, including:
- Legal 500 Asia Pacific: tax
- Doyle’s Guide: tax law, and
- Best Lawyers® International: tax law.
