Dentons‘ pensions disputes practice regularly advises sponsoring employers on DB and DC schemes, life assurance arrangements and healthcare trusts, on restructuring and insolvency-related matters, and often in the public sector. The team regularly acts for household-name clients, appearing before the High Court and the Court of Appeals. Practice head Eleanor Hart is experienced in cross-border contentious work, with extensive experience working for public sector clients. The ’brilliant’ Carolyn Saunders, noted for her ESG focus, is experienced in advising corporate, trustee, and provider clients.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Eleanor Hart is easy to work with.’
‘Dentons is involved in some significant and challenging pensions litigation, whose members all have considerable technical expertise and are involved in a mix of high-profile matters and also ones of national importance.’
‘Carolyn Saunders is brilliant. She is a delight to work with, responsive, and has incredible knowledge of all aspects of pensions law.'
‘Unlike some truly global law firms, Dentons continues to offer serious pensions expertise, enabling it to service the needs of clients worldwide without outsourcing.'
'Dentons is perfect for pensions litigation with an international element.’
Key clients
- BCA Pension Trustees Ltd
- Bus Employees Pension Trustees Limited and NBPF Pension Trustees Limited
- The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Purepay Retail Limited
- Sateba UK Limited
- Shenif Najak
- Grant Thornton UK LLP (as Receiver under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002)
- W L Gore & Associates
- Score Group Limited
- Intelsat Global Sales & Marketing Ltd
- Pluxee UK Limited
- Dentons Europe
Work highlights
Advising scheme trustees in a complex matter involving the compromise of a section 75 debt claim, which arose when it was discovered that the pensions secured for over 1,300 members on buyout were too low.
Advise the associated / connected parties of a company in administration on an investigation by the Pensions Regulator into whether steps in the lead up to its insolvency and subsequent restructuring materially impacted the scheme in a detrimental manner.
Advise our client on sensitive auto-enrolment compliance issues against a background of a constant media scrutiny and a unionised workforce.
Practice head
Eleanor Hart
Other key lawyers
Carolyn Saunders