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England - London • Employment
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Pensions (non-contentious)

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Burges Salmon LLP

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With client across the UK, Burges Salmon LLP‘s pension practice draws on their regional excellence to advise on matters ranging from daily scheme advisory work and assisting with DB and DC schemes to complex, multidisciplinary investigations. The team has a leading alternatives-to-buyouts focus and boasts being on both central and local government panels for pensions work. The team is led by Bristol-based Richard Knight, an expert in DB and DC schemes and risk transfer, who advises some of the largest companies in the UK. Steven Hull joined from Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP in 2024, contributing to the team's London presence.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Clive Pugh is one of the most pragmatic, helpful lawyers.'

  • ‘They always provide timely, proportionate and clear advice on complex matters.'

  • 'Kate Granville Smith really listens and works with you to understand the issues and client needs. Excellent in managing tasks to completion and goes that extra mile to meet demanding deadlines.'

  • ‘A very professional firm with a full coverage of specialist skill sets. Very experienced in dealing with pension funds.'

  • ‘The organisation and team members have great balance - they understand our challenges and support us in accordance with this position. The team has an extensive range of skills and have been called upon to support a wide range of issues; where bespoke support has been required, subject experts have been introduced to guide to achieve positive outcomes.’

  • 'Professional, knowledgeable, commercial and personable. They react quickly to support and genuinely feel like part of our team.'

Key clients

  • Honda Group UK Pension Scheme
  • Trustees of the AT & T ISTEL Pension Plan
  • Leonardo Pension Schemes
  • Methodists Ministers’ Pension Scheme and Trustees of the Pension Scheme for Lay Employees of the Methodist Church
  • Trustees of the London Luton Airport Pension Scheme
  • Plumbing Pensions Employers Limited
  • Church Mission Society and Methodists
  • Sofegi SpA
  • FirstGroup
  • Welsh Archaeological Society
  • Wessex Water Pension Scheme
  • Cardiff University Pension Fund

Work highlights

Advise on funding negotiations, governance responsibilities, investment management agreements, climate change reports, GMP equalisation, and legal issues related to liability-driven investments and security arrangements.
Provide strategic UK pensions advice on all matters relating to a £250m DC section and £150m DB section, executing full buy-in, supporting work towards buy-out including GMP equalisation and advising on cybersecurity breach response.
Advised on the closure to accrual of two DB schemes (£1.2bn, £1.5bn), implemented GMP equalisation, and managed DC scheme amendments (£220m), assisting with trustee documentation, and provided lead advice on harmonising three trustee boards into one trustee board overseeing all three schemes (including extensive trustee training).

Practice head

Richard Knight

Other key lawyers

Kate Granville Smith; Clive Pugh; Steven Hull