Pensions

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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 comprehensive range of services for employers and trustees is provided with a focus on meeting your commercial objectives and fiduciary obligations.

We can advise on:

Schemes: DB, DC, CARE, EFRBs, Hybrid, Master Trusts, QROPS, SIPPs, SSASs
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
Funding: documenting arrangements, contingent assets, de-risking, buy-outs and buy-ins, risk insurance, administration and investment management agreements
GDPR guidance for pension scheme trustees
Governance: legal and regulatory compliance, employer and trustee powers and 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
Unions pensions: specialist unions pensions advisory services

1 Unions
We have an in-depth understanding of the trade union movement, its complexities, the political sensitivities that underpin it and the balancing act unions have to navigate as an employer as well as a representative of your members.
We know how to reconcile achieving cost-effective pensions for staff, with the need to campaign for high quality pension provision for union members.
Our comprehensive range of specialist pensions services for unions are designed to help our clients reduce risk, manage deficits, limit liability, control costs and generate savings and include:
- Q&A insights workshops: sharing the implications of the latest developments on pension schemes for unions trustees and representatives, and answering questions on the spot
- Helpline: dedicated telephone service to answer your queries as and when needed
- ‘What if’ round tables: scenario planning discussions to help you tackle queries from the shop floor
- Documentation: straightforward and coherent approach to all your documentation needs
- Restructuring: advice focusing on cost saving measures covering benefit changes including closure to future accrual, the addition of DC sections and section 75 debt issues
- Projects: merging schemes, transfers between schemes, winding-up and PPF entry, SIPPs, SSASs, QROPs and Master Trusts
- Union merger: due diligence, pensions warranties and agreements, clearance applications
- Pensions contracts: reviewing administration and investment management agreements
- General advice: including legal and regulatory compliance, trustees’ powers, duties and discrimination
- A complementary employment law advisory service for unions’ employers and employees, addressing litigation needs and the full range of non-contentious issues from pre-recruitment to post-termination.
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GDPR guidance for unions recognising their branch structures
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"
Pitmans are commercially-minded and they apply their knowledge as to what is the best solution. They give a good, sensible risk assessment.
Chambers and Partners UK 2019
I find Pitmans to be very capable and certainly value for money.
Chambers and Partners UK 2019
Another source praises Pitmans' pensions team's 'depth of knowledge and commercial approach.'
Chambers and Partners UK 2019
We find Pitmans to be highly understanding of our business and its needs,' remarks one source, who also highlights 'their ability to change, evolve and adapt.'
Chambers and Partners UK 2019
Pitmans LLP's team of 'highly competent lawyers establish a good working relationship with clients' and 'provide pragmatic, clear and commercial advice in a timely fashion'.
Legal 500 UK 2018
Pitmans have always been thoroughly professional and timely to react. Quite simply they offer the best commercial and dispute resolution services in the South of England and I have very happily and with absolute confidence recommended them to a number of my clients who have equally been delighted.
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