Acting for trustees, providers, insurers, and sponsoring employers, Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP‘s pension team advises some of the UK’s largest companies. The team is noted for its focus on the public and voluntary sector, has close links to regulatory bodies, and also offers contentious pensions experience. Martin Poore leads the wider team from Newcastle, while other key contacts include Tracy Walsh and Suzanne Duff.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Suzanne Duff has very extensive knowledge of the sector as well as a lot of contacts. Her knowledge is second to none, and she takes a very commercial approach to matters wherever possible.'

  • ‘Expert advice from a team which makes the complex world of pensions law straightforward. No-nonsense opinions in a world where you want your advisors to advise!’

  • ‘Tracy Walsh is the expert in this field, with a team that supports the best decisions for employers, funds, and employees.’

  • 'Seamless. Our direct involvement is almost always with the partner, who I am sure will use members of her team to complete any detailed work required. This is always done without the need to refer back to me, making the single point of contact extremely efficient and a great time saver for me.'

Key clients

  • Broadacres Housing Association
  • Procter & Gamble
  • Taylor Wimpey UK Limited
  • Trustees of the RM Pension Scheme Limited
  • Trustees of the Perivale Gütermann Pension and Life Assurance Scheme
  • Royal Masonic Benevolent Institute
  • Somerset Wildlife Trust
  • Pocklington School
  • Everyturn
  • Trustees of the Lincolnshire Co-operative Pension Scheme
  • K H One
  • West Lancashire Borough Council

Work highlights

Advise the Trustees of the British Red Cross Pension Fund (UK Fund) and the Scottish Branch, British Red Cross Society Retirement Benefits Scheme (Scottish Scheme) on the buy-out and wind-up of both schemes, including how to allocate a funding surplus between the scheme members and the Society.
Advise the Trustee of the VA Tech UK Pension Scheme on various, elements of its project to complete the buy-out and wind-up of the scheme, including features associated with the reinsurance of the benefits that were originally insured with PIC, and the provision for transfers in of DC pots from other pension schemes.
Advised P&G on its establishment of a new section of the Aon Mastertrust for deferred members, to enable them to access greater flexibilities and options in relation to their retirement account than would otherwise be available in P&G's own £2billion hybrid occupational pension scheme

Practice head

Martin Poore

Other key lawyers

Suzanne Duff; Tracy Walsh