Clifford Chance LLP‘s advisory practice is particularly well-equipped to assist its clients with the pensions elements of cross-border transactional cases. The practice advises trustees, employers, and lender clients on a breadth of pensions issues, including scheme valuations, buy-in and buy-out transactions, GMP equalisations, and pension scheme closures. Hywel Robinson, former chair of the Association of Pension Lawyers, leads the team, and is especially experienced in cross-border membership and asset-pooling matters. Clare Hoxey is a name to note for de-risking matters, while Sarah McAleer is a key contact for trustee advisory work. Senior associates Rebecca Trapp and Robert Klepka are also recommended.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The team are incredibly attentive to their role in advising the trustees and spare no effort in making sure they have the guidance they need, when they need it - if not before they know they need it!'
- 'The team are always thinking ahead.'
- 'Clare Hoxey and Rebecca Trapp work superbly well as a team.'
Key clients
- Mitchells & Butlers
- Thames & Hudson
- Saint-Gobain
- The Co-operative Bank
Work highlights
- Advised on the demerger of the GKN automotive business, which involves two substantial defined benefit pension schemes.
- Advised on a number of buy-in transactions, including for The Co-operative Bank PLC on the £1.2bn all-risks insurance buy-in of its previously uninsured Co-operative Pension Scheme liabilities with Rothesay Life PLC.
- Acted as the primary pensions advisers to a FTSE 250 company which specialises in international defence, with global operations and over 28,000 employees who participate in a number of UK (and overseas) pension schemes.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Hywel Robinson