Frequently Asked Questions

What facilities do you have to keep up-to-date with the latest pension legislation?

We subscribe to Perspective, which provides a fully comprehensive information service regarding developments in legislation, cases and the pensions industry. We are also members of the Association of Pension Lawyers and play an active role in the National Association of Pension Funds. We regularly attend training sessions held by both these organisations and by firms of actuaries and consultants.

You say that your rates are competitive, so how do you structure your fees?

Generally we charge at an hourly rate. However, we are willing to quote a fee for a discrete project. We regularly review time spent to ensure that we are working within budget. We normally bill on a monthly basis.

What about PI insurance?

As a limited liability partnership authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, we are required to carry professional indemnity insurance.

What if a pensions job requires other legal specialisms such as employment and tax?

We can work with your usual lawyers or introduce our own tried and tested specialist contacts.

What about work with international implications?

Again, we can work with your normal lawyers or introduce our own tried and tested global pension specialist contacts.

What are your plans to expand the practice?

We'll grow by taking on other experienced professionals who demonstrate our commitment to providing sound advice in a commercial context.

How do you deal with conflicts of interest?

We flag potential conflicts straightaway. In appropriate cases, we will suggest that affected parties seek advice from another firm and can make introductions if necessary.

What procedures do you have in place for reviewing your advice?

We regularly discuss and review issues and the advice we have given.

Your talk did a lot to help our firm’s reputation in this sector. – head of a leading team of solicitors specialising in further and higher education

Head of Team - Specialist Solicitors in Further and Higher Education

Current News

Cohabitee wins right to pension

The Supreme Court has ruled that a nomination requirement relating to the payment of a survivor’s pension under a public sector pension scheme discriminated against cohabiting unmarried couples and should be disapplied.

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Reversing Trustee Decisions

Trustees have on occasion relied on the “Hastings Bass” rule to unwind decisions that subsequently transpire to have unintended consequences. The scope to do so has been narrowed by the recent Supreme Court judgments in the jointly heard cases of Futter and another v HMRC and Pitt and another v HMRC.

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EU Solvency Rules dropped

The European Commission has announced that it is dropping its plans for a new funding regime for pension schemes.

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Pensions for Mortgages

Nick Clegg announces a new government idea to allow parents to use their pensions to help children onto the property ladder.

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