Fraser Sparks > PwC LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
PwC LLP Offices

1 EMBANKMENT PLACE
LONDON
WC2N 6RH
England
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Fraser Sparks

Work Department
Pensions
Position
Fraser has over 15 years experience of advising corporates and trustees on pensions law.
Fraser advises clients on all aspects of pensions law and his clients have included sponsoring employers, trustees and scheme members.
Fraser has particular experience of advising on the following issues:
- establishing, closing and winding up pension schemes
- liability management exercises such as member option programmes and bulk annuity transactions (including all-risks buy-outs)
- restructuring group pension arrangements by merging and demerging pension schemes, for example advising one of the world’s leading ferry operators on the merger of its 5 UK pension schemes
- benefit correction issues involving historical under and overpayment of benefits and liaising with HMRC regarding tax treatment of back payments
- contingent funding arrangements, including asset-backed funding structures, escrow accounts, reservoir trusts and group company guarantees
- the pensions aspects of corporate transactions, particularly where the transaction involves the transfer of a group of employees from the seller’s defined benefit pension scheme to the buyer’s pension scheme
- the pensions aspects of public sector outsourcing and the application of New Fair Deal
Fraser is a regular contributor to the pensions press and is frequently quoted in publications such as Professional Pensions and Pensions Age. He has spoken at various pensions industry events, including conferences organised by the Pensions Management Institute, the Pension and Lifetime Savings Association and the Association of Pension Lawyers.
Career
Fraser has previously been a partner at Hammonds (now Squire Patton Boggs) and Stephenson Harwood.
Memberships
Fraser is a member of the Association of Pension Lawyers and sits on the Association’s international pensions committee.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
PwC LLP‘s pensions offering focuses on advising large corporates and pension schemes in the UK, as well as trustees, on novel issues relating to pensions liabilities and concerning corporate transactions and structuring work. It is increasingly active in the ESG space, assisting companies and trustees with the transition to more sustainable models. The legal function works closely with the firm’s wider consultancy wings, including tax and accounting, enabling it to provide a well-rounded pensions service. The department is headed by Oliver Reece , who has a strong track-record in pensions-related regulatory matters (particularly in relation to moral hazard), as well as in M&A and corporate restructurings. Fraser Sparks is an expert in benefit correction issues, liability management, bulk annuity transactions and establishing, closing and winding-up schemes. Elizabeth Ramsaran takes the lead on the ESG piece.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Corporate and commercial > International business reorganisations
- Real estate > Environment
- Investment fund formation and management > Hedge funds
- Employment > Employee share schemes
Firm Rankings
- Corporate and commercial > Customs and excise
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Corporate and commercial > VAT and indirect tax
- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- Risk advisory > Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity
- Employment > Employers
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market
- Real estate > Property finance