Shoosmiths LLP

Pensions

Alexandra has experience of advising employers and trustees of occupational pension and life assurance schemes on all aspects of pensions law, and providing advice in relation to pensions issues on corporate transactions and pensions litigation.

Alexandra’s experience includes:

Advising both pension scheme trustee and employer clients on scheme mergers, drafting documentation to implement such mergers, and taking on a project management role to ensure completion of mergers in required timescales. The de-risking of occupational pension schemes, recently advising an independent trustee on a buy-in of the scheme's liabilities and plans to achieve a full buy-out and wind-up. Advising on scheme closure exercises, including the implications of scheme amendment powers and case law requiring salary linkage. Advising on the updating and consolidation of pension scheme trust deeds and rules. Drafting scheme contingent assets, such as PPF compliant company guarantees. Advising employers on automatic enrolment obligations. Defending complaints brought under scheme internal dispute resolution procedures and before the Pensions Ombudsman. High court pensions litigation, including acting for an employer and trustees in multi-defendant professional negligence proceedings associated with equalisation issues. Alexandra also has experience of mediation and settlement of high court disputes. Advising on TUPE transfers and share sales, including drafting contractual provisions, advising on obligations during and following such transfers/ sales and whether section 75 employer debts may be triggered and the appropriate steps to mitigate such risks. Advising on the establishment of group life assurance schemes.

Alexandra trained and qualified (in September 2012) at Lawrence Graham LLP (now known as Gowling WLG). Prior to joining Shoosmiths in July 2016, Alexandra spent two years in the in-house pensions legal team at British Telecommunications plc.