We have provided specialist pensions advice for over 30 years.
Our pensions team is one of the largest City-based pensions teams advising both pension scheme trustees and sponsors. We provide "full service" pensions legal advice and not simply a "corporate support" service. The typical services we provide include:
- preparing various governing and amending scheme documentation, using our own precedent documents to ensure we provide a cost-effective service to our clients
- advising on questions of interpretation of scheme documents, what benefits the rules provide and what formalities are required for different decisions
- negotiating contracts with service providers, including scheme administrators, investment management and bulk annuity documentation, and advising on any disputes that arise
- dealing with member benefit queries and disputes, from informal queries through to complaints to the Pensions Ombudsman
- preparing policy documents, ensuring consistency in on particular issues
- resolving issues with historic documentation
- clearance applications and liaison with the Pensions Regulator
- restructuring and insolvency solutions
- advising on corporate acquisitions, disposals, mergers, demergers and reorganisations on pension schemes
- providing mediation services to the pensions industry.
Our pensions expertise stretches across the firm, and we have dedicated specialists to assist in all pensions related issues.
Visit our pensions hub
Please see our statement of investment principles below:
Stephenson Harwood Pension Scheme - May 2023 Statement of Investment Principles
"Stephenson Harwood provides a wide range of skill and knowledge with a dedicated team servicing our needs."
Chambers UK 2023
Trustees of the Barnardo Staff Pension Scheme, Construction of RPI
Advised the trustees on a claim for construction of the definition of "Retail Prices Index" in the scheme rules (Miles Buckinghamshire and others v Barnardo's and others [2015]).
Pension fund claim against global fund manager
Advising the trustee board of a multi-billion pound pension fund in relation to a multi-million pound claim against one of the world's largest fund managers for negligence and breach of investment mandate.
Pension scheme dispute
Acting for a financial institution in defending claims in a complex multi-party dispute in respect of a pension scheme.
Impact of company sale on pensions
Advised the trustee of a multi-national healthcare company on the potential debt arising in relation to its pension plan as a result of a sale and the management/reduction of that debt.
Bulk annuity purchase
Advising the Jardine Lloyd Thompson pension scheme trustees on purchasing a series of bulk annuity policies from the Prudential covering approximately £210 million of liabilities in aggregate.
PLC internal reorganisation
Advising on the pensions aspect of an internal re-organisation involving the triggering of debts on employers due to the pension fund and negotiating parent guarantees to the pension fund.
Board of the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), change in levy calculation
Advised in relation to a unique and multi-disciplined project changing the calculation of the PPF levy.
Our pensions expertise stretches across the firm, and we have dedicated specialists to assist:
Private wealth
Advise on legal and tax issues affecting offshore pensions, in particular occupational schemes created by employers for non-domiciled employees, known as IPPs. In addition, we advise on all aspects of QROPS, acting for both trustees and the members.
Regulatory compliance
Advise on investment management/advisory agreements and related regulatory issues, including the custody/client money rules. Our Regulatory Compliance and Litigation teams work closely to assist clients in their interactions with the FCA, from initial queries from the regulator through to section 166 skilled persons reports and contentious enforcement actions.
Real Estate
Act on behalf of pension funds for all aspects of real estate investment, development and management including a number of funds that are managed by LaSalle Investment Management.