Nicolas Stallworthy KC

Practice Areas

Nicolas Stallworthy KC’s practice involves the interaction of commercial trusts, contract law, insolvency and professional negligence at very high levels of complexity and value. He is also one of the most highly regarded practitioners at the pensions bar, with specialist knowledge of almost all issues affecting pensions schemes.  

Nicolas undertakes cases concerning the interpretation of trusts, contracts, financial instruments & legislation; and the application of trust principles in the broader commercial context. His professional negligence practice focuses on solicitors, insurance companies, benefits consultants, professional trustees, actuaries & investment advisers. His work is conducted in the Business & Property Courts, the Tax & Chancery Chamber of the Upper Tribunal and appellate courts. 

Nicolas stands out for his impressively broad pensions practice. His cases have concerned the interpretation of trust deeds & rules and legislation (including e.g. indexation issues), the scope and exercise of powers (in particular, amendment powers and the formal validity of amending instruments), the application of equitable doctrines in the pensions context, rectification, the employer debt and scheme funding legislation, the powers of the Pensions Regulator, pensions and insolvency, European law’s impact on pension schemes (in particular in connection with ‘equalisation’) and pensions-related professional negligence claims. He is described as “one of the most impressive silks” in the C&P guide.   

Career

Called 1993; appointed Queen’s Counsel 2011. Called to the Bar of Northern Ireland (2010) and registered at the DIFC (2013).

Professional Memberships

Association of Pension Lawyers; Chancery Bar Association; Commercial Bar Association; Financial Services Lawyers Association; and Professional Negligence Bar Association.