Hans Severin Hansen

Attorney-at-Law, Partner

Hans Severin Hansen is a partner in our Tax Law team and he is recognised as the leading tax attorney in Denmark. He is the only Danish tax attorney rated a "Star Individual" by Chambers and has been selected for The Legal 500 Hall of Fame.

Hans advises Danish and foreign business enterprises and he conducts the biggest and most complex tax cases. Hans's track record is unique. A lot of his cases are test cases which subsequently result in the reopening of similar cases and statutory amendments or changes in administrative practice.

Hans was the chairman of the Danish branch of the International Fiscal Association (IFA) from 2009 until 2020 and was a member of its Executive Committee in the period 2009-2015. He was the President of the IFA 2013 Congress in Copenhagen.

In 2006 Hans was awarded Magnus Prisen, a Danish award given to a tax specialist who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of Danish tax law. In 2010 he received Christrup Prisen, a Danish award given every three years to an attorney in recognition of his or her exceptional results in the courts.

At the moment Hans is working on a number of big cases, specifically including transfer pricing cases, the so-called beneficial owner cases about withholding dividend tax and tax on interest as well as cases about the right to deduct losses suffered by foreign subsidiaries.

A profile on Hans in the Danish weekly publication Berlingske Nyhedsmagasin can be read here.

Highlights

See Tax Law

Ratings

  •  

    Hans Severin Hansen is the only Danish tax attorney ranked as a Star Individual.

    Hans Severin Hansen is recognized for his prowess in contentious tax cases, representing clients in complex litigation proceedings. He receives praise from clients: "He is knowledgeable, outstanding and is a perfect match for our company. I think he is the best in Denmark for Tax" (2016)

  • Practitioners are unanimous that Hans Severin Hansen, the head of Plesner's tax team, is the best tax litigator in the country. One of his peers said: "Quite simply he is the number one litigator in Denmark. It is hard to think of someone else who is even in the same league" (2012)
  •  
    Hans Severin Hansen continues to be "the undisputed king of tax litigation" in the eyes of his competitors. Clients observe that "he is able to communicate extremely complex issues to tax authorities and courts in a very straightforward way" (2012)
  • Plesner's "widely recognised" 16-lawyer tax group is led by Hans Severin Hansen, who has an "incredible unbeaten record in landmark cases" (2011)
  •  
    Hans Severin Hansen is widely seen as the leading tax litigator in the country, with sources remarking that the impact he has had on the sector "is absolutely amazing; he has represented each and every major corporation in Denmark"  (2010)
  • Hans Severin Hansen is regarded by market commentators as "the very best tax litigator in Denmark." He is seen as a "major player" in the market, and is credited with building a strong tax practice (2014)
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Positions of Trust

  • Chairman of the Danish Branch of International Fiscal Association   
  • Member of the Board, the Tax Law Foundation 
  • Member of the Publications Committee of the Journal on Taxes and Duties 
  • Member of the Advisory Board for the LL.M. in VAT and Other Indirect Taxes, Aarhus School of Business
  • Member of the Committee for the Karnov Tax Award
  • 2009-2015 Member of the Executive Committee of International Fiscal Association
  • 1992-2014 External examiner, University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University
  • 2013 President of the IFA 2013 Congress in Copenhagen
  • 2008-2009 Member of the Tax Commission, appointed by the Danish Government
  • 2000-2009 Member of the Permanent Advisory Board to the Minister of Taxation
  • 1992-2009 Member of the Board of the Danish Lawyers' Tax Law Association
  • 2002 Member of the Ministry of Taxation's Expert Working Group on Taxation of Work in Progress
  • 2001-2003 Member of the Central Customs and Tax Administration's Expert Working Group on Taxation of Goodwill in Law Firms
  • 1996-2000 Member of the Ministry of Taxation's Expert Working Group on Revision of the Act on Taxation of Gains on Shares
  • 1995-1998 Member of the Ministry of Taxation's Expert Working Group on Joint Taxation
  • 1989-1997 Vice-president of the Tax Committee under the General Council of the Danish Bar and Law Society
  • 1995 Member of the Central Customs and Tax Administration's Expert Working Group on Investigation of Bank Mergers
  • 1976-1978 Tutor in Civil Law, University of Copenhagen

Selected Publications


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