The Pensions team provides clear and practical legal advice on the broad spectrum of issues faced by employers, trustees and other advisers. Combining our experience and expertise with that of other specialists within the firm, our pensions advice covers areas such as:

• Scheme documentation – preparation of initial and amending documentation for all types of pension schemes including ancillary scheme documents such as agreements on scheme mergers and the ongoing review of documentation in response to pensions law developments. 
• Trustees / Employers – advice on the exercise of trustees' and employers' duties, discretionary powers and other responsibilities. 
• Funding and liability management – advice and negotiations on employer covenant issues and the implementation of deficit liability management exercises (including pension transfer inducements, partial buy-outs and buy-ins, changing benefit terms for future service and the cessation of future benefit accrual). 
• Investment agreements – negotiation and preparation of investment management agreements and ISDA agreements. 
• Pensions Regulator – advice and negotiations on all matters covered by the Pensions Regulator. 
• Pension Protection Fund – advice and negotiations with the PPF.
• Corporate acquisitions, mergers, disposals and flotations – comprehensive advice on all pension aspects including far-reaching implications of the Pensions Act 2004. 
• Restructuring and Insolvency – specialist support on the pensions aspects of corporate restructurings and insolvencies including the role of the Pensions Regulator and potential entry of a scheme to the PPF. 
• Litigation – provision of specialist advice on any pensions-related disputes, both through the courts and the Pensions Ombudsman. 
• Employment – advice on pension provisions in employment contracts, salary sacrifice arrangements, interaction of scheme rules and contractual entitlements and compromise agreements.

In addition, the Pensions team provides regular updates to clients and contacts through our e-bulletin service which keeps them informed about developments in pensions law and best practice.

Our Clients

We act as ongoing legal advisers to companies and the trustees of pension schemes throughout the UK, from larger public companies and life offices, to smaller businesses and concerns. Major clients include the following organisations and/or the trustees of their pension schemes:

• ABI 
• Aegon 
• Aggreko 
• AWG 
• Baillie Gifford 
• Brewin Dolphin 
• Christian Salvesen 
• Danaher 
• Grampian Country Foods 
• Pentair 
• Scottish Power
• Scottish Widows 
• Stagecoach 
• Standard Life 
• Vivendi Universal / Universal Music 
• Wood Group
  

Hailed as "approachable, helpful and very user-friendly" offering a "thorough and intensive" service.
Chambers 2009