The Bristol-based pensions team at Burges Salmon LLP regularly handles scheme mergers, complex regulatory work, buy-ins and buy-outs, as well as an increasing amount of public sector work; testament to this, the firm was recently re-appointed to the National Local Government Pension Scheme. Practice chair Richard Knight regularly handles high-profile matters such as providing urgent legal advice concerning the LDI crisis to the the trustees of high-profile pension schemes. Clive Pugh‘s expertise extends to scheme rescue and managed PPF entry, while the 'excellent, thoughtful and collaborative' Michael Hayles is a key contact at the firm for public sector work. Richard Pettit, Alice Honeywill, Susannah Young and Chris Brown further extend the firm’s pensions expertise.
Pensions in South West
Burges Salmon LLP
Practice head(s):
Richard Knight
Other key lawyers:
Clive Pugh; Michael Hayles; Richard Pettit; Suzanne Padmore; Alice Honeywill; Susannah Young; Chris Brown; Crispin Freeman
Testimonials
‘Extremely friendly and responsive team, giving good advice.’
‘Both Chris Brown and Richard Knight are very approachable and knowledgeable.’
‘I have found the team to be responsive at the outset, mindful of deadlines thereafter and technically excellent.’
‘I have worked mainly with Michael Hayles who I have found to be an excellent, thoughtful and collaborative lawyer.’
‘A very well resourced pensions team, able to apply the appropriate expertise to any particular matter.’
‘Richard Pettit is an excellent client partner. Good at maintaining relationships, identifying client needs and targeting resources to meet those needs quickly and efficiently.’
‘All round excellent pensions team. Up there with the best in the UK. Great experience and depth of quality.’
‘Suzanne Padmore is a brilliant pensions litigator. Great technical knowledge and strategic judgement. Fantastic to work with.’
Key clients
Honda Group UK Pension Scheme
AT&T Pension Scheme
Leonardo Pension Schemes
Trustees of the C F Fertilisers Pension Schemes
Trustees of the DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company Limited Pension Scheme
Trustees of three of the four UK DB schemes sponsored by Informa Plc
Trustees of the London Luton Airport Pension Scheme
Trustee of a scheme sponsored by a FTSE 250 global company
Work highlights
- Advised the Trustees of the DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company Limited Pension Scheme in relation to an application for forfeiture of £5 million worth of benefits of three members of the scheme.
- Advising the Trustees of the three UK pension schemes sponsored by CF Fertilisers Limited in relation to a restructuring of the sponsoring employer.
- Advising the Trustee of two DB pension schemes sponsored by Leonardo MW Limited in relation to a proposal to close the schemes to future benefit accrual and in relation to a GMP equalisation conversion project.
Osborne Clarke LLP
Osborne Clarke LLP‘s wide-ranging pension practice handles high-profile corporate failures, risk settlement and liability management for defined pension schemes, as well as a good deal of work for public sector clients, with the firm advising a number of individual LGPS funds. The team is chaired by Jonathan Hazlett, a Pension Protection Fund specialist, while his colleague Paul Matthews has particular expertise in utilities sector pensions work. Brent Wright is especially noted for his transactional capabilities. Other key names within the practice include Claire Rankin, who specialises in employment-related pensions matters, and Tobias Hole, who is well-versed in DB liability management and DB risk settlement mandates. All named lawyers are based in Bristol.
Practice head(s):
Jonathan Hazlett
Other key lawyers:
Paul Matthews; Brent Wright; Claire Rankin; Tobias Hole; Rebecca Cantrell
Key clients
Pension Protection Fund
Trustee of the T & N Retirement Benefits Scheme (1989)
Trustees of the Hammerson Group Management Limited Pension and Life Assurance Scheme
Trustees of the YMCA Pension and Assurance Plan
Trustees of the Chubb Safes Pension Plan
Ameresco Limited
Imperial Tobacco Pension Fund
Bank of Ireland UK Pension Fund
Trustee of the Lincoln Staff Benefits Plan
Trustee of the Eastman Machine Company Limited Superannuation Scheme
Senior plc Pension Plan
Western Provident Association Pension Scheme
Work highlights
- One of six firms providing specialist and expert full legal services directly to the Pension Protection Fund.
- Appointed to advise 2020 Trustee Services Limited as the sole trustee of the T&N Retirement Benefits Scheme.
- Advising the trustees of the Hammerson Group Management Limited Pension and Life Assurance Scheme on the implementation of a £100 million buy-in with Just Retirement.
TLT
Regulatory instructions, complex public sector work and SIPP/SSAS work are the key sweet spots for TLT‘s pensions practice. Risk reduction specialist Sasha Butterworth leads the team from the firm’s Bristol office. Her Bristol colleague Chris Crighton has specialist expertise in advising local authorities on outsourcing projects, while Lizzie Stone is particularly recommended for her advice on complex member issues, acting for both employers and trustees. All named lawyers are based in Bristol.
Practice head(s):
Sasha Butterworth
Other key lawyers:
Chris Crighton; Lizzie Stone
Testimonials
‘A pleasure to deal with, always contactable and good at finding solutions.’
‘Sasha Butterworth is always calm and collected, even when novel issues are thrown at her.’
‘Lizzie Stone has an expansive eye for detail. She looks at the bigger picture and finds creative solutions.’
Key clients
Anglian Water
Government Legal Department
Fujitsu Technology Solutions International Pension Plan Trustee
Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Limited
Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime
Viridor Waste Management Limited
WHSmith
Travelers
Arkema Bostik Pension Trustee Limited
Mono Equipment Pension Scheme Trustees
Work highlights
- Advising the Trustees of the Koito Europe Limited pension scheme on winding up the pension scheme.
- Advised the Trustee of the Fujitsu Technology Services International Limited Pension Plan on the successful bulk transfer of the DC section of the plan to the Legal & General WorkSave Mastertrust.
Simmons & Simmons
Led by Danny Tsang from the firm’s London office, Simmons & Simmons handles a broad range of pensions work including advising on future accrual, enhanced transfer offers, and sensitive investigations and compliance work. The key contact in the South West is James Dean, whose broad pensions practice encompasses corporate restructurings, M&A and asset-backed funding arrangements. Dean is often supported on matters by Kate Fellows-Tully.
Practice head(s):
Danny Tsang
Other key lawyers:
James Dean; Edward Smith; Kate Fellows-Tully
Testimonials
‘As a team, they work well together, and with the trustee clients. They all have strong pensions experience, and bring issues and solutions to us.’
‘Danny Tsang is a strong lead partner. Highly client-focussed.’
‘I have found the team to be highly knowledgeable, commercial and accessible. As a non-pensions person they have supported the translation of complex situations into pragmatic and commercial responses.’
Key clients
DXC Technology
Mercedes Benz Trucks Limited
GlaxoSmithKline
Confederation of Health Service Employees (COHSE)
BASF plc
Doosan Babcock Trustees
Anheuser-Busch InBev Group
West Ferry Printers Pension Scheme
Work highlights
- Acted for the trustees of the Doosan Power Systems Pension Scheme for over a decade, advising them on all aspects of their scheme.
- Acting for VASF plc on a range of pensions matters, including technical advice around GMP equalisation and tax protections.
- Advising the Mercedes-Benz Trucks business in relation to the pensions issues arising from its global separation from Mercedes-Benz Cars.