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Curriculum Vitae
Summary
All specialist areas
Competition Law
European Law
Procurement Law
Public & Administrative Law and Human Rights
Tax
  • What the Directories Say

"Popular junior is Valentina Sloane, who is "very good, especially when on the attack," clients point out. Also recognised for her exceptional VAT practice, she has been advising Wandsworth Borough Council on the compatibility of a dual tendering procedure with EU procurement law. She also represented the tenderer on the benefits of a challenge to Yorkshire Forward for an alleged breach of EU procurement rules. - Chambers UK, 2010

Chambers UK, 2010 on VAT: "Leading junior Valentina Sloane has a broad background in European law, although she is also developing a niche practice in VAT and other indirect tax matters. "Measured, careful and very pleasant to work with," Sloane has shown "tremendous promise." "

Leading junior Valentina Sloane is described by clients as 'a tough, tenacious and brilliant advocate' - The Legal 500, 2009

On Procurement Chambers UK, 2009 states that "Valentina Sloane is praised for her "technical excellence" and is seen as being "extremely user-friendly and responsive.""

On Tax law "Valentina Sloane brings a "clear, precise and analytical" approach to work for HMRC and taxpayers on a wide range of matters, including VAT. Considered "excellent on paper" she is a "tough, tenacious and brilliant" advocate."

Valentina was promoted to the top tier of leading juniors for VAT in The Legal 500, 2008: " Monckton Chambers specialises in VAT, bringing to bear the tenants' European law and commercial expertise ... Valentina Sloane is a 'rising star, on the shortlist of top juniors for VAT'."

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Valentina Sloane

BA, Oxford (First Class) Diplome d'etudes specialisees en droit europeen, Brussels (Grande Distinction)
Call date: 2000

Summary

Valentina is an experienced advisor and litigator in European, tax, procurement and competition law. She is a member of the Attorney General's B Panel and has wide-ranging public law and judicial review expertise.  She is named as a leading junior in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500, where she is recommended in the fields of tax law, procurement law and EU/competition law. The directories recommend her as "a rising star", "excellent on paper" and "a tough, tenacious and brilliant advocate".

Background

 Valentina studied law at St. John's College, Oxford where she gained first class honours. She was awarded a Wiener-Anspach scholarship to undertake a year of postgraduate study at the Institut d'Etudes Européennes in Brussels, where she gained a diplôme d'études spécialisées en droit européen (LLM) with a grande distinction. Valentina was a Bedingfield Scholar of Gray's Inn.

Major cases

Before the ECJ:

  • Case C-517/07 Afton Chemicals v HMRC
  • Case C-506/04 Graham Wilson v. Conseil de l'ordre des avocats du barreau de Luxembourg
  • Case C-452/03 RAL (Channel Islands) Limited v Customs and Excise

Before the House of Lords:

  • Fleming / Conde Nast v. HMRC [2008] UKHL 2
  • Beynon and Partners v. Customs and Excise [2004] UKHL 53

Before the Court of Appeal:

  • HMRC v Insurancewide and Trader Media [2010] EWCA Civ 422
  • Bloomsbury International Ltd v Sea Fish Industry Authority & Defra [2010] EWCA Civ 263
  • BAGS & Others v Amalgamated Racing [2009] EWCA Civ 750
  • Dwr Cymru v Albion Water [2008] EWCA Civ 536  (appeal from the CAT)
  • Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra v Customs and Excise [2006] EWCA Civ 1281
  • Longborough Festive Opera v Customs and Excise [2006] EWCA Civ 1281

Judicial reviews in the High Court:

  • R (on the application of SPCM) & Others v Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs [2007] EWHC 2610 (Admin)
  • R (on the application of Evolution Export) v HMRC [2007] EWHC 521 (Admin)
  • R (on the application of Livewire) v HMRC [2006] EWHC (Admin)
  • R (on the application of Dean Solomon) v Parole Board [2006] EWHC 2639 (Admin)

VAT appeals before the High Court and the VAT & Duties Tribunal:

  • Skipton Building Society [2009] UKFTT (partial exemption and attribution)
  • Pendragon [2009] UKFTT 192 (VAT avoidance)
  • Allen Carr's Easyway [2009] UKFTT 181 (medical exemption)
  • Flir v HMRC [2009] EWHC 82 (customs classification)
  • Rank Group Ltd, V20777 and V20688 [2008] (gaming exemption and fiscal neutrality)
  • Trader Media, V20671 [2008] (insurance intermediary exemption)
  • AgroEuropa, C00255 [2008]  (customs classification)
  • Healthcare at Home, V20379 [2007] (zero-rating, classification of supply)
  • Abercromby, V20092 [2007] (section 85 VATA 1994)
  • Morris Young, E01032 [2007] (hydrocarbon oil duty)
  • Salon 24  [2006] EWHC 111 (Ch) (single/multiple supplies) 

Before the Competition Appeal Tribunal:

  • Tesco v Competition Commission, Case 1104/6/8/08 (challenge to CC recommendation)
  • Freightliner v English Welsh and Scottish Railway Ltd, Case 1105/5/7/08  (damages action)
  • Aggregate Industries Ltd v OFT, Case 1086/4/1/07 (section 120 application to challenge OFT divestment decision)
  • Independent Water Company v DG of Water Services [2007] CAT 21
  • Albion Water v. DG of Water Services (Dŵr Cymru/Shotton Paper) [2006] CAT 36
  • Albion Water v. DG of Water Services (Thames Water/Bath House) [2006] CAT 7
  • Association of British Insurers v OFT, Case 1036/1/1/04
  • Aquavitae v DG of Water Services [2003] CAT 17

Before the Competition Commission:

  • Market investigation into the supply of groceries
  • Vivendi/First Aqua - water industry merger inquiry
  • Safeway - supermarkets merger inquiry