Fieldfisher

Pensions

Senior Associate

Katie has experience advising on the administration of defined benefit and defined contribution pension schemes, including preparing documentation and advising on the interpretation of scheme rules and pensions legislation.  She also advises on trust law duties, the proper exercise of trustee discretions and on the pension aspects of corporate transactions.

Katie has been recognised as a 'Rising Star' in the Legal500 and was shortlisted for Young Lawyer of the Year at the 2023 North West Young Professionals Awards

Recent experience includes:

Advising on the closure of defined benefit pension schemes, including advising on consultation with members and drafting deeds of amendment to close the schemes to future accrual. Advising on the scheme merger of 3 defined benefit schemes, including drafting a consolidated trust deed and rules which involved reviewing and consolidating over 80 deeds of amendment. Advising trustees on the exercise of trustee discretion in relation to matters such as early retirement, lump sum death benefits and spouse's/children's benefits. This work has included preparing and providing training to trustees on the exercise of trustee discretion. Advising on automatic enrolment compliance and the rectification of breaches of an employer's automatic enrolment obligations.