Pensions & Pitmans Law genuine Regular client access to senior expertise ensures a commercial and proactive service.
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Pensions & Pitmans Law Introduction Understanding your needs Reducing risks, controlling costs and generating savings for our clients are fundamental to what we do. Whether you re seeking to comply with discrimination legislation, governance standards, undertaking M&A or restructuring your scheme we offer pragmatic, robust and clear pensions advice. Our advice is focused on supporting you in meeting your commercial objectives and fiduciary obligations. Pitmans Pensions Over 200 clients Active, closed and winding up schemes with assets up to 1 billion Tier 1 ranked by Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners Comprehensive range of services Dedicated pensions team of 9 including 4 partners Wider pensions and employment practice: 17 strong team, 7 partners Pensions practice depth of expertise City quality lawyers, regional value 1
Client focus Over 200 clients including trustees, employers, insolvency practitioners, HNWIs and other pensions professionals ACAL Army & Navy Club Aspen Healthcare Belfast Harbour Commissioners Brink s Canon Chiltern Group Cluttons Continental Delbanco Meyer DRS Technologies DSV Fiat Chrysler Fidelity Football Association Grohe Grundfos Pumps Grundon Hills Group Hitachi Hochtief Infineum Institute of Directors Jockey Club Kentucky Fried Chicken Leprosy Mission Mitsui Olivetti Premier Oil Reform Club Repton School Ryanair Singapore Airlines Standard Group State Bank of India Swedish Match Vodafone T he level of service has always been exemplary; they are fast to respond, proactive in approach and have a deep understanding of our firm due to a long-term relationship. Legal 500 2
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T he Trustees have benefited from clear, straight-forward advice presented in an easy to digest format. T his has resulted in a strong working relationship. Legal 500 Our services Schemes: providing advice around DB; DC; CARE; hybrid; SIPPs; SSASs; QROPs and Master Trusts Corporate transactions: due diligence; pensions warranties and agreements; clearance applications Discrimination: equalisation in documentation, legislative advice, benefits for same sex couples and family leave impact Documentation: all your documentation needs in plain English from deeds and rules to trusts Equalisation: reviewing scheme documentation; where necessary providing a pragmatic, robust and commercial solution Funding: documenting funding arrangements, contingent assets, de-risking, buy-outs and buy-ins, risk insurance, administration and investment management agreements Governance: legal and regulatory compliance, employer and trustee powers & duties Litigation: contentious proceedings, pension scheme claims, professional negligence claims and mediations, Pensions and Financial Ombudsman complaints Pensions Protection Fund: PPF entry and levy reduction Restructuring: group re-organisations, closure to accrual, merging schemes, winding up, transfers, CARE sections, section 75 debt issues, clearance applications 4
Pitmans People A centralised service managed through a dedicated relationship partner, Chris Netiatis (Head of Pensions) Specialist pensions advisory team of leading practitioners with diverse experience Drawing from the wider full service Pitmans team to meet clients requirements A trusted partnership providing practical, precise and responsive advice Independent client review and listening programme Your team Chris Netiatis Head of Pensions E cnetiatis@pitmans.com D 0207 634 4659 M 0782 521 9430 David Hosford Partner E dhosford@pitmans.com T 0118 957 0363 M 0788 181 7840 David Archer Partner E darcher@pitmans.com T 0207 634 4651 M 0776 768 5134 Chris has been advising trustees and employers on pensions law for over 15 years on matters including group reorganisations and mergers (along with clearance applications), scheme design and benefit changes, scheme closure, liability reduction exercises and general Pensions and Finance Acts matters. Chris also advises on contentious pensions matters including professional negligence claims, rectification applications and disputes between trustees and sponsoring employers, advising distressed employers, or trustees in situations where there are distressed employers. Chris is often involved in consolidating and updating scheme governing documentation. Chris qualified whilst working at Mercer before joining Pitmans in 2006. David has 22 years experience covering all issues affecting occupational pension schemes, including consolidating trust deeds and rules, scheme restructuring, funding shortfalls, scheme mergers, PPF assessment periods, enhanced transfer values, implications of corporate restructuring/takeovers (including clearance and section 75 debt on employer), contingent assets, equalisation and investment management contracts. David qualified at Burges Salmon and joined Pitmans in 2001. David acts for trustees and employers on pension litigation matters including equalisation, rectification and professional negligence claims. He is experienced in managing the litigation process through to settlement. 6
Denise Fawcett Partner E dfawcett@pitmans.com T 0207 634 4642 M 0790 155 7245 Julian Richards Senior associate E jrichards@pitmans.com T 0207 634 4649 M 0771 713 1644 Having worked with the Pensions Regulator, Denise advises corporates with defined benefit pension schemes and trustees upon moral hazard aspects of corporate transactions, debt restructuring (Regulated Apportionment Arrangements) and clearance. She also continues to advise the PPF. Julian advises on all issues affecting occupational pension schemes. With 15 years in-house experience as the Head of Pensions at Amicas trade union (now Unite), Julian leads our Union client base. Hannah Farley Solicitor E hfarley@pitmans.com T 0118 957 0291 M 0788 195 4698 Tamara Barbeary Solicitor E tbarbeary@pitmans.com T 0118 957 0273 M 0770 128 4300 Hannah assists the team in all areas of pensions law. She previously practiced for 3 years as an employment solicitor, advising both employees and employers on a wide range of employment law issues. Tamara brings over 5 years experience of providing legal advice, including litigation, commercial and employment law, covering both contentious and non-contentious work. She now specialises in all aspects of pensions law. 7
Value City quality lawyers, regional value, competitive hourly rates Advisory work can be charged on an hourly rate basis or project-based transparently scoped fixed fees can be agreed Participation in Trustees meetings, sharing legal developments and their implications Regular e-alerts Using technology to drive efficiencies: document management systems, datarooms and extranets 8
T hey are enthusiastic, responsive, diligent and tactically and commercially switched on. As importantly as all of that, they are thoroughly good guys with whom we have a great working relationship. About Pitmans Banking & Finance Commercial Corporate Debt Recovery Dispute Resolution Employment Insurance Intellectual Property Matrimonial & Family Pensions Real Estate Restructuring & Insolvency Wills, Tax & Trusts PARTNERS LOCATIONS 13 35 HQ, READING, LONDON 10 AND SOUTHAMPTON Areas of expertise Sector specialisms S E R V I C E S S E C T O R S Banking Charities & Not for Profit Energy Hospitality Insurance Life Sciences Real Estate Retail TMT Transport CITY QUALITY LAWYERS Over 25 firms worldwide The founding UK member firm of the global legal network, Interact Law I N T E R N A T R E G FOUNDED 1860 I O N A L I O N A L V A L U E PEOPLE 200 I T R E C O G N I O N 21 Individuals Recommended by Chambers 25 Practice areas Ranked Highly by legal 500 Tier 1 Ranked Top 150 Law Firm Regional Heavyweight Lawyer 200 Star Performer Award winners Lawyer of the year Law Firm of the Year Lex 100 Best Work/ Life Balance 9
Why Pitmans? A cost efficient approach City quality lawyers, regional value Tier 1 robust pensions advisory expertise from a dedicated team Contact Chris Netiatis E cnetiatis@pitmans.com D 0207 634 4659 M 0782 521 9430 Memberships Association of Pension Lawyers Association of Business Recovery Professionals Industrial Law Society Pensions & Lifetime Savings Association Pensions Management Institute pitmans.com 10
Pitmans LLP s team is excellent, timely and efficient with high-quality partners who excel. [T hey] take a pragmatic approach, identify risks and deliver appropriate advice. Chambers & Partners
With Pitmans Law you can be assured of the quality of advice and service you demand from a city law firm but with a distinction. The courage to stand apart, to think and act personably, with an uncompromising focus on achieving outstanding client outcomes. We say what we mean, matching our behaviours to our words. Established for over 150 years, Pitmans Law is headquartered in Reading with offices in London and Southampton. The lower overheads of a regional office ensure we can provide city quality legal advice at a competitive price to deliver exceptional value for our corporate and private clients locally, nationally and internationally. Pitmans provides legal advice to address our clients needs across a wide range of industry sectors and specialisms including particularly strong specialist teams in pensions advisory, real estate, dispute resolution as well as corporate and commercial law. Our clients draw confidence from the top tier recognition Pitmans achieves in the industry benchmarking directories, Legal 500 and Chambers UK. Reading, London, Southampton Pitmans Law is the founding UK member firm of the global legal network, Interact Law. Contact us T +44 (0)345 222 9222 E law@pitmans.com pitmans.com