The Manchester-based offering at Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP has well-established capabilities in handling a variety of complex pensions matters. Its workload includes assisting its varied roster of clients, which features trustees and sector-spanning companies, on domestic and cross-jurisdictional matters, including working on framework agreements, the holding of illiquid assets, and advising on the development of defined benefit pension schemes. Ele Lovering oversees the group and harnesses expertise assisting longstanding clients on the breadth of pensions issues, including end-game solutions, risk, and liability management cases. Simon Daniel‘s areas of experience include advising on asset investment decisions, investment governance and disclosure, and buy-ins and buy-outs. Sarah Lown’s client list includes well-known names in the energy sector, in particular.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- We trust their output.
- Sarah Lown has extremely strong knowledge and technical skills, but also the ability to communicate complicated issues to the Board.
- Amanda Small and Lauren O'Connor both provide great service, with prompt advice (or managing expectations when the advice may take longer) and are readily available for calls, rather than playing email tennis. Clear advice is provided on both GMP equalisation and a buy-in project.
- The team works very well as part of a team, with other advisors and the trustee. The team is very approachable and helpful.
- Well experienced and knowledgeable while also being practical.
- Ele Lovering is very experienced and able to address people at all levels, including overseas owners.
- Ele Lovering and Helen May are both excellent to work with. There is always a sense that they would happily drop everything to assist with a query or problem.
- Highly personable and approachable team, delivering tailored and pragmatic advice.
- Ele Lovering - pragmatic, commercial, and always willing to chat something through. She manages to stay on top of where the work is up to without getting too involved in the minutiae, which is a useful balance. Helen May - thorough, reliable, and demonstrates excellent billing practice. She's clear, organized, and effective. We lean on Helen a lot for most of our advice and feel like she understands our drivers and stakeholders well. Jayne Howell - an able support to Ele and Helen, Jayne's been a consistent part of the team for a number of years, and we value her presence.
- Eversheds Sutherland provides access to experts in different areas (e.g., employment law and taxation), which makes it easier to gain a complete picture of legal and tax issues.
Key clients
- Macmillan Cancer Support Pension Scheme
- ABB Limited Pension Scheme
- BOC Retirement Benefits Scheme
- Carlsberg UK Limited Pension Scheme
- Cooperative Group pension schemes
- Electricity North West Limited
- INEOS pension schemes
- KCOM pension schemes
- Kellanova
- The People’s Pension Scheme
- L’Oréal
Work highlights
Advised the client on the full buy-in of the Kemira GrowHow UK Limited Pension Fund and the Terra Nitrogen (UK) Limited Pension Scheme with Prudential Assurance Company Limited (wholly owned by M&G plc); the buy-ins were transacted simultaneously for a combined premium of £265m and in respect of a total of 1,350 members.
Advised the Trustees of the Pension Fund in relation to Project Natrium, which involved negotiation in relation to deficit repair contributions to facilitate the Company’s £60m investments in plant to generate a pharmaceutical grade bicarbonate of soda to secure the covenant afforded to the Scheme, which also involved putting in place the appropriate mitigation.
Advised the client in relation to a full-scheme buy-in, which included specific arrangements to allow for illiquid assets, a funding agreement with the French parent and the establishment of an escrow arrangement to manage any potential Scheme surplus.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Simon Daniel
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Sarah Lown
Practice head
Ele Lovering
Other key lawyers
Lauren O'Connor; Simon Daniel; Sarah Lown