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Aptum Legal nabs former ATO assistant commissioner
East coast-based firm Aptum Legal has appointed former ATO acting assistant commissioner Michael Buscema as its new tax disputes practice lead.
Imogen Wilson
Aptum Legal, which has offices in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney and specialises in commercial and tax disputes, has recruited Michael Buscema to lead its tax disputes practice.
Before joining the firm, Buscema recently held the role of acting assistant commissioner at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
Aptum said Buscema would be a valuable addition to the team based on his 11 years of experience working for the ATO and Commonwealth Treasury.
Over his career, Buscema has held several senior and director-level positions in policy and dispute resolution.
According to Aptum, Buscema will “help shape the future” of the firm’s tax disputes practice.
Buscema said he is looking forward to his new role and working with the team at Aptum Legal.
“I’m thrilled to be guiding the continued development of a different approach to tax disputes with Aptum,” he said.
Buscema played a key role in steering the ATO’s post-COVID-19 recovery strategy and led a team responsible for the ATO’s most strategic tax disputes, both domestically and internationally.
Aptum managing director Nigel Evans said Buscema’s ATO experience and insight would provide a refreshed and knowledgeable perspective to the team.
“Michael’s appointment brings a rare and unique insight into the ATO’s latest recovery priorities and approach to Aptum,” he said.
“We expect this will strengthen our capability in both federal and state tax disputes.”
Buscema said he will be able to lead the team effectively when tackling the challenge of helping clients navigate the ATO’s latest approach.
“It’s important to take into consideration a client’s full experience with the ATO, not just their audit or objection, but how a variety of risk and circumstantial factors affect how taxpayers are treated,” he said.
“For us, it’s about understanding a client’s objectives and packaging the essential information that gets outcomes in disputes and stripping away the rest.”
