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Wilberforce Chambers

Pensions

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)

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Wilberforce Chambers

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Pensions - London (Bar)

Band 1

What the Team is Known For

Wilberforce Chambers is a distinguished set with a market-leading group of both silks and juniors capable of handling the full spectrum of pensions work. Members are thoroughly experienced in handling large-scale, high-profile cases at the forefront of the pensions industry. Wilberforce's barristers are equipped for advice and advocacy in relation to a host of regulatory matters and act for employers, trustees and the Pensions Regulator. Described by clients as offering "one of the finest pools of talent for pensions litigation", the set is able to act in complex cases with elements of employment, trusts and tax law. Wilberforce Chambers has represented Newell Rubbermaid UK Services in a Part 8 claim relating to the conversion of DB pension rights to DC benefits.

Nicholas Luckman is the practice director.

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Strengths

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  • The clerk team is excellent in communications and working with instructing solicitors.

    Pensions respondentUK Bar

  • If you want to find out when a particular judge might be able to hear something, the clerks are on very close terms, which is very valuable.

    Pensions respondentUK Bar

  • The director and the clerks are first rate. They have a wonderful client service attitude.

    Pensions respondentUK Bar

  • The clerks are responsive and available, and treat every matter as a priority.

    Pensions respondentUK Bar

  • The clerks at Wilberforce are the best of the best. They are highly responsive and switched on.

    Pensions respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Brian Green
    Brian Green

    Brian Green

    Brian Green KC is one of the leading lights in the pensions industry. He is frequently seen on some of the most high-profile and significant pieces of litigation. He brings well-honed advocacy skills to his litigation and offers expertise in tax and trusts law. He is noted for his experience advising on charity and legacy public sector schemes.

    • He has a superb brain. He is a stellar advocate and is exceptional with clients.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Brian Green is excellent both with clients and in the most technical areas.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Brian is flexible - he listens, adapts and finds solutions.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • Paul Newman
    Paul Newman

    Paul Newman

    Paul Newman KC is highly regarded in the industry. He acts on the full range of pension matters and is particularly recommended for high-profile, intricate cases. He acts for a diverse set of clients, including a number of FTSE 100 companies, trustees, the Pensions Regulator and the Pension Protection Fund. He is also an accomplished adviser on allegations of professional negligence.

    • Paul Newman is very good at giving a view on the evidence and being very robust, thinking through the options very analytically.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • He is technically excellent and pragmatic, and has the ability to convey complex arguments to clients.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Paul is a very clear communicator and has excellent analysis.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • He is technically excellent and has a very clear, engaging advocacy style. Paul is also willing to listen to different perspectives and take that on board in his advice.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Paul has a collaborative approach with instructing solicitors and delivers clear opinions.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • Edward Sawyer
    Edward Sawyer

    Edward Sawyer

    Edward Sawyer is a gifted and experienced pensions barrister who has appeared in several high-profile cases affecting the industry. He is often involved in long-running litigation with international elements concerning pension schemes and the Pensions Regulator. He also has prior experience of advising on professional negligence allegations.

    • Edward is a brilliant pensions lawyer and has great attention to detail.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • He is calm and considered but with steel and an indefatigable work ethic.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Edward is hugely experienced and very good at picking things up late in the day.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • Jennifer Seaman
    Jennifer Seaman

    Jennifer Seaman

    Jennifer Seaman is well respected in the pensions arena. She offers expertise in a wide range of cases, including civil fraud, professional negligence and regulatory matters. She has represented clients solely before the High Court and appeared in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. She is particularly knowledgeable on trustee powers.

    • Jennifer is incredibly bright and sees things most people wouldn't see. She is excellent and one of the go-to barristers on pensions on the junior level.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • She was easy to work with and managed opposing counsel really well.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Jennifer is able to deal with complex technical matters and provides clear and direct advice.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Jennifer is a solid performer who is a safe pair of hands.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • Jonathan Hilliard
    Jonathan Hilliard

    Jonathan Hilliard

    Jonathan Hilliard KC is widely regarded as a go-to barrister for technical pensions issues, and he represents parties in a broad array of cases. He has significant experience in liberation, moral hazard and professional negligence matters. He is sought after by the Pensions Regulator, as well as sponsors and trustees. He has appeared in courts at all levels of the British judicial system, as well as the CJEU.

    • He is very clever and quickly gets to the heart of the issue.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Jonathan is super bright and very engaging.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • Michael Tennet
    Michael Tennet

    Michael Tennet

    Michael Tennet KC is one of the leading silks for pensions. He is a master in regulatory matters and additionally specialises in actuarial issues. He is regularly seen in some of the pension industry's most high-profile and contentious cases. His broad experience includes advising trustees, employers and representative beneficiaries.

    • Michael has excellent commercial awareness and takes that into account in his advice. He gives clear views rather than sitting on the fence and is very easy to work with.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Michael is user-friendly and not afraid of hard work.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Michael is technically excellent and able to deal with the most complex of matters with ease.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • He is absolutely intellectually brilliant. What sets him apart is that he really cares about it, throws everything at it - he's a passionate advocate who gets completely immersed.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Michael Tennet is both acutely intelligent but also very practical and very good at getting across complex ideas and arguments.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • Andrew Mold
    Andrew Mold

    Andrew Mold

    Andrew Mold KC garners considerable praise for his impressive ability in major pensions cases. He specialises in professional negligence and the regulatory aspects of complex pensions cases. He is experienced in appellate matters, including those before the Supreme Court.

    • We have total confidence in Andrew's advice on both technical law and strategy. He is a delight to work with and wins the trust of clients.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Andrew offers very prompt service, even when busy. He does not overcomplicate matters.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Andrew is brilliant.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • Fenner Moeran
    Fenner Moeran

    Fenner Moeran

    Fenner Moeran KC is an impressive advocate who is particularly well versed in pension liberation, fraud and moral hazard disputes. He frequently represents trustees, insurance companies and employers, as well as the Pensions Regulator and the government.

    • Fenner is down to earth and provides clear, pragmatic and no-nonsense advice.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • He is an amazing silk who is really good with clients. Fenner is able to adapt to individuals and get them onside.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Fenner is always full of energy and solutions-focused. He is amazingly efficient too.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Fenner Moeran is very reliable and great to work with.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • James Walmsley
    James Walmsley

    James Walmsley

    James Walmsley is an established pensions junior who is highly reputed for his diligent work ethic. He is well versed in regulatory investigations and rectification actions.

    • James is able to absorb large amounts of information and identify the most important points to the matter at hand. He thinks around a problem to explore all of the potential angles.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • Michael Furness
    Michael Furness

    Michael Furness

    Michael Furness KC enjoys broad expertise in occupational pensions and other relevant areas, including tax law and trust litigation. He is well known for engaging in international litigation in offshore jurisdictions. Trustee boards and large household-name employers seek out his counsel.

    • Michael is technically absolutely brilliant - he can turn his mind to tax, property, trust, as well as pensions. One of the things I really rate about him is that judges really listen to him.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Michael is ultra-reliable.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • He can cut through the complexities of pensions law to deliver a pragmatic and legally robust answer.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • Sebastian Allen
    Sebastian Allen

    Sebastian Allen

    Sebastian Allen is a well-regarded junior with experience in the full spectrum of pensions cases. He has advised and advocated on some of the most large-scale pensions matters including benefits indexation, equalisation and moral hazard proceedings.

    • Sebastian is very hard-working and good at working through the issues with rigour.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • He is commercially focused and very technically minded, getting right into the detail of tricky matters.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Sebastian is hard-working and his written work is great.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Sebastian is down to earth and incredibly bright.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • James McCreath
    James McCreath

    James McCreath

    James McCreath acts for employers, trustees and scheme members in a variety of pension disputes. He has gained particular exposure to Section 75 debt claims and regulatory cases, as well as professional negligence allegations in the pensions arena.

    • James is very thorough and a real team player - he is happy to do the more tedious and less glamorous work. He is pleasant to work with and gets really stuck into the detail.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • He is very intelligent and a strategic thinker. James came up with clever ideas nobody else had thought about.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • James McCreath is extremely clever and sees to the heart of the issue. He has a reassuring advocacy style and makes complex issues seem very simple.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • Joseph Steadman
    Joseph Steadman

    Joseph Steadman

    Joseph Steadman has an impressively wide-ranging pensions practice that sees him acting for employers, trustees, members and the Pensions Regulator. He has in-depth knowledge of proceedings brought under Part 8 of the CPR, as well as disputes over transfers. Steadman has the capabilities to handle both commercial and private pensions matters.

    • Joseph's technical knowledge is excellent and he is great in front of clients. His advice is clear and commercial and he's easy to work with.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • He is insightful, efficient and offers excellent strategic input. Joseph has a great depth of experience which allows him to cut through to what matters on complex and technical areas of law.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Joseph Steadman is a wonderful barrister.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • He is super bright and very personable.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • Jonathan Chew
    Jonathan Chew

    Jonathan Chew

    Jonathan Chew is well versed in pensions regulation. He has experience of scheme restructurings, changes to pension increases and rectification claims, among other pensions issues.

    • Jonathan Chew is very high quality.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Jonathan is very down to earth, very easy to get along with, and thinks through the issues clearly.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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  • Thomas Robinson
    Thomas Robinson

    Thomas Robinson

    Thomas Robinson KC enjoys a wealth of experience in regulatory, moral hazard and insolvency cases all the way up to the Supreme Court. He is highly valued by the Pensions Regulator, especially for moral hazard cases. He also has experience in professional negligence cases.

    • He is highly intelligent, calm and a team player.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Thomas Robinson brings a balance of detailed analysis with strategy.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Thomas is incredibly personable and understands the needs of his client. He provides exceptional advice and is a powerhouse of an advocate.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • He is an outstanding barrister.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar

    • Thomas is very clever and brilliant to work with - very personable and commercial.

      Pensions respondentUK Bar
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Ranked Barristers at Wilberforce Chambers (15)

London (Bar)

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