CMS covers a myriad of pension issues, spanning de-risking transactions, buy-ins and buy-outs, and asset-backed funding. Leadership responsibilities are split between Jae Fassam, who acts for clients from the energy, aviation, and public sectors, and Thibault Jeakings, whose portfolio of work covers defined benefit and defined contribution schemes. Amanda Cooke is well-placed to deal with master trusts, contract-based pensions, and platform products.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- Thibault Jeakings is technically excellent, providing clear, commercial, practical advice and always meeting challenging deadlines. He very much feels part of our team and provides wise counsel.
- Amanda Cooke and Jae Fassam work very well together. They are very easy to work with, and we have built up a strong rapport over a fairly short time. I feel that they understand how we like to work. Leigh McLevy is also great to work with, and she is very knowledgeable and fun, as is Sokratis Androutsos.
- The pensions team at CMS is excellent. They are consistently friendly, approachable, and hardworking, and they have delivered reliably even when deadlines have been tight. I particularly value how quickly they have grasped our complex pension arrangements and their ability to provide clear, practical, and easy-to-understand advice. Their general updates are always useful, and the guidance they provide in meetings is consistently comprehensive and pragmatic.
- I would say the whole team, but in particular, Jae Fassam and Claire Miller are our main contacts from the client side, and they always go the extra mile to ensure that we are aware of how much a particular issue is costing and also provide clear and concise advice. Jae was a calm voice.
- The real strength of the team lies in their ability to bring in other areas of the team when the issue dictates.
- The depth of resources, experience, and ability to deliver on strategically important projects is commendable. There is a very collaborative style from the lead advisers.
Key clients
- Serco Pension and Life Assurance Scheme
- A group of three pension schemes in the same employer group
- De La Rue Pensions Scheme
- NSK Pension Scheme
- Helaba (London) Pension and Life Assurance Plan
- Samsung Electronics Pension Scheme
- Stagecoach Group Pension Scheme
- Airbus UK Pensions Scheme
- Airbus NI Pensions Scheme
- Northern Ireland Water
- Gems Sensors Pension Plan
- British Medical Association Pension Plan
Work highlights
Advised the Trustees of the Stagecoach Group Pension Scheme on their £1.2bn transaction with Aberdeen.
Advised the Trustees of the De La Rue Pension Scheme on £1bn complex and high-profile funding and security negotiations with the sponsoring employer.
Advised Northern Ireland Water Limited on remedial action in relation to age discrimination coming from the McCloud and Sargeant judgment.
Lawyers
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Practice head
Jae Fassam; Thibault Jeakings
Other key lawyers
Amanda Cooke