Job Description

What sort of person we’re looking for

We are looking for an additional pensions lawyer who is at least three years pqe to help us continue to provide strong positive and commercial advice to sponsoring employers and trustees.

What we can offer

Pensions is a core practice area for Walker Morris, to which we are fully committed for the long term. The team is led by Partners Andrew Turnbull and Jo Ratcliffe and both are recognised by leading independent commentators and guides to the profession. The group has been regarded as one of the leading pensions teams in the north of England for a number of years and it will continue to expand by recruiting talented individuals and providing outstanding client service.

We are looking for an additional pensions lawyer to help us continue to provide strong positive and commercial advice to sponsoring employers and trustees. Our clients include large plcs and Trustees of plc national and international clients.

Our experience in connection with schemes includes the following:

• Advised the trustees on a three way merger of pension schemes resulting in a combined scheme value of £123 million.
• Advising on issues relating to discrimination and issues relating to the equalisation of pension benefits for men and women. We have a 100% record in gaining a successful outcome with the Pensions Ombudsman.
• Representing the trustees in connection with Scheme Specific Funding negotiations resulting in additional contributions of £25 million and a guarantee for a further £25 million.
• Advising the trustees of large multi-employer pensions schemes on changing their schemes' benefit structures.
• Advising a number of clients on disposals and acquisitions, including issues relating to TUPE and Beckmann, and settling such claims in co-operation with Human Resources.
• Advising a large Plc in relation to changing its pension schemes from final salary to Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE). Drafting communications to members to consult on the new CARE arrangements.
• Drafting pension schedules for large multi-employer schemes to document the change from final salary to CARE.
• advising on pensions issues arising in corporate transactions with particular reference to moral hazard.
• advising companies in relation to current and proposed participation in the Electricity Supply Pension Scheme and the Industry Wide Coal Schemes.

We also work closely with solicitors in other areas such as Human Resources, Commercial Dispute Resolution and Insolvency. We are particularly known for advising in conflict situations and on funding issues for schemes both ongoing and in wind up, where our independent trustee company may assist.

Areas of Expertise

• Benefit changes
• Bradstock negotiations
• Disputes
• Funding
• Independent trusteeships
• Scheme mergers
• Scheme wind ups
• Trustee boards

Where the applicant will fit in

As you can see, the range of work is wide so we can offer you an unusual breadth of work which obviously offers the chance to develop your commercial and legal skills. We can also offer lots of support and training in the role, but also a work life balance. There are genuine opportunities for partnership, despite us being a small team, and certainly no glass ceilings to contend with.

Necessary qualifications

3-5 years pqe (but will consider anyone who can demonstrate the skills and knowledge we are looking for).