Shepherd and Wedderburn

Pensions law

Andrew is a partner and a recognised pensions law expert. In particular, he is noted for his work in electricity supply and distribution industry pensions, and is the draftsman of the protected persons regulations on pensions, which have applied to the electricity industry since its privatisation. He has acted on a number of groundbreaking pensions arrangements, including advising the trustee of the ScottishPower pension scheme’s £2bn Longevity swap – a relatively new and complex financial instrument. He advises trustees of major occupational pension schemes and private and public companies on the full spectrum of pensions law issues including pensions liability and risk management, buy-in and buy-out insurance, benefit design and change, acquisitions and disposals, pension scheme restructurings, winding up pension schemes, and employer financed retirement benefit schemes. Andrew is a Committee member of the NAPF Scotland Group as well as a full member of the Association of Pensions Lawyers, and of the Law Society of Scotland Pensions Law Working Party. Admitted in Scotland, England and Wales.

Articled Watts, Vallance & Vallance, London 1979-1981, qualified as English solicitor 1981; assistant Rooks Rider, London 1981-84, partner 1984; moved to Scotland 1987 and joined Shepherd and Wedderburn 1988, qualified as Scottish solicitor 1989; appointed associate 1990; partner 1992 to date.

Committee member and past chairman of the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) in Scotland; committee member and past chairman, Scottish Group Association of Pension Lawyers; Law Society of Scotland Pension Law Specialist Committee and Pensions Law Working Party.

Wolverhampton Polytechnic (1978 LLB Hons); College of Law, Lancaster Gate (1979 distinction).

Opera, rugby, classical music, oriental carpets.