Addleshaw Goddard benefits from its large, highly experienced team, which works across multiple specialist areas, including de-risking issues, complex transactions, SIPPs, SASSs, and more. Rachel Uttley leads the team and heads up the firm’s specialist bulk annuity practice; she also has extensive transactional experience. Jade Murray covers a range of complex and high-profile pension matters and is head of the SIPPs and pension products team. Richard Shelton has extensive experience advising trustees, employers and financial institutions on both advisory and transactional pensions work, while Jonathan Stewart has a particular specialism in DB trustee advisory work.

Arc Pensions Law, a specialist pensions firm, handles a wide range of complex and high-value work for schemes and employers. The team acts as adviser to funds, corporate clients, and law firms that need more specialist pensions expertise. With its deep understanding of the field, the team advises on the pensions aspects of significant corporate transactions and de-risking strategies, and provides advice to major schemes, particularly those with complex and rare features. Vikki Massarano has particular expertise in compliance issues, pension scheme valuations and closures, and corporate transactions impacting pension schemes, while Kate Payne focuses on pension scheme investment guidance, operational advice and the pension-related aspects of corporate transactions. Robert Walker has significant expertise in legacy pension schemes and risk management related to corporate actions affecting pension funds.

Pinsent Masons LLP‘s ‘outstanding’ team leverages the wider firm to provide its clients with a full-service pensions practice. Clients include major insurance company schemes, master trusts, and SIPP providers, and the team has strong capabilities in DC and DB work, high-value schemes, risk transfers, and buy-outs, alongside significant pension litigation expertise. Tom Barton, who spearheads the team, is a leading DC expert who heads up the national DC practice, which acts for a client base consisting of more than half of the authorised master trust market in the UK and SIPP providers. Andy Wright leads on advice regarding DB matters and leverages his significant technical expertise to advise trustees and sponsors across the full spectrum of pension issues, specialising in advising large defined benefit schemes. Katie Lodge is a key name at associate level.

DLA Piper‘s ‘very strong, commercially minded and solution-focused’ team has a particular focus on manufacturing and financial services clients alongside strong capabilities and experience advising a diverse client base of pension scheme trustees, corporates, and pension providers. Recent work has included buy-ins, corporate restructurings, and providing advice to trustees on GMP equalisation. Andrew McIlhinney leads the team that undertakes significant complex multijurisdictional work. David Young is a pensions litigation specialist, and Simon Evans and Craig Looker are also key names of note.

Squire Patton Boggs has a strong focus on all pension aspects of work in the regulated utilities sector, particularly water, nuclear, and electricity-sponsored schemes. The team also has significant experience and expertise in assisting local government and not-for-profit clients, including schemes in the charity and faith sectors, trade associations and trade unions. Catherine McKenna spearheads the team alongside Jane Briggs, who has experience in advising pension scheme trustees and sponsors with particular specialist expertise in relation to retail pensions and insurance providers, as well as master trusts. Anna Tomlinson is the key name at senior associate level.

Wrigleys Solicitors LLP‘s ‘knowledgeable’ team of specialist pension lawyers is well regarded for its trustee advisory work and charity pension issues; the group is also regularly instructed by other law firms, independent trustees and pension consultants. Kate Buckham leads the pensions team alongside Louise Edwards. Buckham provides comprehensive advice on all aspects of occupational pension schemes, while Edwards has extensive experience in guiding trustees through complex liability management exercises.

CMS’ ‘trusted’ team is spread across Sheffield and Leeds and advises on the full range of pension issues. The practice has particular expertise in advising on public, private, and third-sector schemes and is well equipped to handle complex multi-employer industry-wide schemes, schemes with distressed employers, and the interpretation of the provisions of statutory schemes. In Sheffield, John Hanratty is a leading public law pensions specialist with experience advising government departments, local authorities and private sector bodies on all aspects of pensions law.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP operates a full-service pension practice, leveraging expertise from the wider firm. The group acts for employers, pension schemes, public authorities and insurers, covering both the private and public sector, advising on the full range of pension issues. Gemma Hanley leads the team with significant experience in the energy, utilities and railways sectors, with a focus on DB work.

Walker Morris LLP advises on a range of pension matters, acting for a significant number of high-profile schemes with particular sector experience in the privatised utilities, charity and not-for-profit spaces, and the public sector. The experienced team advises a number of US law firms on pension matters, and has growing expertise in funding interventions, complex funding and covenant negotiations, implementing GMP equalisation projects and working on buy-in and buy-out projects. Liz Graham spearheads the team alongside Ruth Bamforth, while Gwendoline Davis leads the pensions litigation team.

Bevan Brittan LLP has a strong focus on public sector clients, particularly in the healthcare space, advising on all aspects of pension law. It has particular expertise in outsourcing work, advising public sector bodies on duties, and industry-wide pension arrangements. Nigel Bolton heads up the team and has vast experience in pensions across both the public and private sectors.