New partner appointed at Corrs Chambers

Australia's leading independent law firm, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, has announced the appointment of Costa Koutsis as a partner based in Sydney. Koutsis arrives at Corrs from Ashurst, where he served as the Global Co-Head of Ashurst’s Tax Practice. With more than two decades of experience in indirect tax, Koutsis is particularly adept at navigating the complexities of stamp duty, GST, and land tax concerning significant transactions.

His extensive background encompasses domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, capital raisings, and property investment and development transactions. Corrs’ Senior Partner and CEO Gavin MacLaren expressed enthusiasm about Koutsis joining the team, stating, “Costa is very well regarded for his technical ability, strong relationships and extensive experience. He is one of Australia’s foremost stamp duty and indirect tax lawyers and he will be another strong addition to our tax team. We are delighted to welcome him to the Corrs partnership.”

In recent years, Corrs’ tax group has experienced substantial growth, with multiple senior appointments enhancing its capabilities. Among these is Cameron Blackwood, previously associated with PwC and Greenwoods & Herbert Smith Freehills, who took on the role of Head of Tax in March 2024. Another notable addition is Angelina Lagana, who came from KPMG Law’s Australian and Asia Pacific leadership for Tax Controversy and Dispute Resolution, becoming the Head of Tax Controversy in October 2024.

Corrs has been involved in significant tax-related mandates, including serving as the lead tax advisor to APA Group on the Brigalow Pipeline Project and facilitating DAZN Group Limited’s $3.4 billion acquisition of Foxtel. These appointments and activities underline Corrs' commitment to expanding its tax practice and positioning itself as a leading authority in the field.