Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Pensions - London (Bar)

1
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.

Strengths

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Notable Practitioners

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Brian Green
Star Individuals

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.

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

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

Paul Newman
Star Individuals

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.

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

Paul is a very clear communicator and has excellent analysis.

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.

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

1
Edward Sawyer
1
Band 1

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.

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

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

1
Jennifer Seaman
1
Band 1

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.

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

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

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

1
Jonathan Hilliard
1
Band 1

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.

Jonathan is super bright and very engaging.

1
Michael Tennet
1
Band 1

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.

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

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

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.

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

2
Andrew Mold
2
Band 2

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.

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

Andrew is brilliant.

2
Fenner Moeran
2
Band 2

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.

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

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

Fenner Moeran is very reliable and great to work with.

2
James Walmsley
2
Band 2

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.

2
Michael Furness
2
Band 2

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.

Michael is ultra-reliable.

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

2
Sebastian Allen
2
Band 2

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.

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

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

Sebastian is down to earth and incredibly bright.

3
James McCreath
3
Band 3

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.

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

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.

3
Joseph Steadman
3
Band 3

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.

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.

Joseph Steadman is a wonderful barrister.

He is super bright and very personable.

4
Jonathan Chew
4
Band 4

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.

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

Thomas Robinson
New Silks

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.

Thomas Robinson brings a balance of detailed analysis with strategy.

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

He is an outstanding barrister.

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

Ranked Barristers at
Wilberforce Chambers

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Filter by
Band

Silks (KC)

London (Bar)

Pensions

Brian Green KC
Star Individuals
Paul Newman KC
Star Individuals
1
Jonathan Hilliard KC
1
Band 1
1
Michael Tennet KC
1
Band 1
2
Andrew Mold KC
2
Band 2
2
Fenner Moeran KC
2
Band 2
2
Michael Furness KC
2
Band 2
Thomas Robinson KC
New Silks

Juniors

London (Bar)

Pensions

1
Edward Sawyer
1
Band 1
1
Jennifer Seaman
1
Band 1
2
James Walmsley
2
Band 2
2
Sebastian Allen
2
Band 2
3
James McCreath
3
Band 3
3
Joseph Steadman
3
Band 3
4
Jonathan Chew
4
Band 4