Pensions

Meet the team

gunnercooke LLP

Manchester, England

0333 014 3401

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Deals

Advising a board of trustees in relation to a very small scheme (£1.6m) on insuring all its liabilities in a record year of pension scheme insurance deals, where small schemes generally struggled to get insured.

Advising Citizens Advice Manchester on their cessation participation in the local government pension scheme.

Advising Northern Housing Consortium on their cessation participation in the local government pension scheme.

Acting for the trustees of a large defined benefit pension scheme in respect of protecting members’ benefits and securing significant concessions (worth several million pounds).

Advised the Kennel Club Limited on the closure of the £23m Kennel Club Staff Pension Scheme to the accrual of future service benefits.

Advised the trustee of the £208m TWIL Group Pension Fund (scheme sponsor — Betafence Limited / Praesidiad Group) on specific terms of scheme benefits’ history since commencement of the scheme trust in 1974.

Defended an individual in the Upper Tribunal of the High Court against a Contribution Notice issued by the Pensions Regulator in respect of a £5.5m pension scheme which is in the Pension Protection Fund — Contribution Notices are very rarely imposed by the Pensions Regulator but almost always appealed.

Acted for a circa £50m buyout of pension scheme liabilities including the first insurance company buyout of benefits equalised for GMPs with Legal and General.

Acting for an individual in his appeal to the Upper Tribunal in respect of a multimillion-pound contribution notice the Pensions Regulator wishes to impose.

Organigram

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Team Services

We offer pragmatic and commercial pensions advice together with a collaborative approach with key stakeholders and advisers. Able to offer expertise in the pensions aspects of M&A, trustee and corporate side advice, investments, pension disputes, litigation and public sector issues, we cover London and the regions.

We frequently advise companies (particularly Finance Directors, Managing Directors and HR Directors), pension scheme Trustees, banks and Law firms that do not have an internal pensions team.

Our pension legal services are complemented (although never on the same scheme) by the provision of professional trustee services through gcTrustees Limited. This enhances our ability to understand our clients, broadens our market knowledge and presence in the industry and deepens our relationships with pension scheme professionals to ensure the best outcomes for the schemes we work on.

Testimonials

Pensions Manager

The relationships with the team are very good. This is not just from a business perspective but they are also good company, very approachable and human.

Independent Financial Advisor

As an IFA, it is essential that any client matters that I provide to professional instructions are dealt with promptly, efficiently and on a cost-effective basis. My experience of dealing with gunnercooke has certainly met those expectations both to my satisfaction as well as my clients.

Awards and Recognition

UK Pensions Awards

UK Pensions Lawyers of the Year - Finalist