Saul Margo

Year of Call:
2005
Direct Access:
Yes

Saul specialises in pensions and employment, as well as professional negligence claims relating to pension schemes.

His pensions practice encompasses both pure pensions litigation and advisory work with his litigation experience including Part 8, professional negligence and rectification claims.

Additionally, Saul is in demand for his specialist knowledge of cross-over pensions and employment work having been instructed in the litigation relating to the judges pensions scheme, the police pension scheme, sexual orientation discrimination claims relating to the Teachers’ pension scheme and in the leading case relating to discrimination arising from the provision ill-health retirement benefits.

His employment work covers the full range of employment disputes including the private sector equal pay litigation and pensions and employment cross-over work. He has extensive experience of appellate advocacy in the EAT and has appeared numerous times in the Court of Appeal.

Saul is highly ranked for pensions and employment in both Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners with the 2022 editions of those directories stating: “Technically excellent, combined with preparation that leaves no point of evidence or legal argument unturned, Saul is formidable, yet persuasive and charming as an advocate. A real class act, and a barrister that inspires confidence with style and panache – simply brilliant.” (Legal 500, Employment); “Saul is an excellent senior junior. His analysis is perceptive and acute and he can master the details of a large and complex case.” (Legal 500, Pensions); “personable and technically excellent.” (Chambers & Partners, Pensions); “…so thorough, he inspires confidence and on his feet he is fantastic to watch – he brings an arsenal of ability to a case.” (Chambers & Partners, Employment).

Saul has been nominated as the Chancery Junior of the Year (2022) by Legal 500.

Saul was appointed to the Attorney General’s A Panel of Counsel in September 2021 and sits as a fee-paid Employment Judge.

Expertise

Saul has been instructed in some of the highest profile pensions cases in recent years. His practice encompasses Part 8 claims, professional negligence claims, rectification claims as well as cross-over pensions and employment litigation.

Notable Pensions cases


Places for People

Jointly instructed by the trustee and the company in complex Part 8 and Part 7 proceedings relating to the execution of pension scheme deeds.

Project Swan

Jointly instructed by the trustee and the company in Part 8 proceedings relating to the validity of a deed closing the scheme to future accrual and connected Part 7 proceedings.

The BBC pension scheme

Represented the successful representative beneficiary in the High Court proceedings determining the scope of the power of amendment and the ability of the BBC to close the pension scheme to future accrual.

Project Apple

Instructed on behalf of a major city law firm to defend negligence proceedings brought against it in relation to the execution of a deed closing a scheme to future accrual.

PSGS Trust Corp Ltd v Aon UK Ltd [2022] EWHC 2058 (Ch)

Represented the trustee in professional negligence proceedings against former advisers – successfully resisted an application for summary judgment.

Re: the Legal & General Group UK Pension and Assurance Fund and the Legal & General Group UK Senior Pension Scheme

Acted on behalf of the representative beneficiary in a highly complex case concerning the validity, construction and/or rectification of 13 sets of provisions governing two L&G pension schemes, dating back to the 1980s.

Gleeds v Aon

Prior to taking extended parental leave Saul represented one of the lawyer defendants in the professional negligence action arising out of the Part 8 litigation and the subsequent settlement.

Acting for the Trustee in a professional negligence claim relating to the provision of legal and actuarial services. The case raises numerous interesting limitation and contributory negligence issues, as well as the as yet untested question of whether and on what basis a Trustee can recover losses where scheme liabilities have been increased due to the negligence of a professional advisor.

Aarons and others v Home Secretary and others / Scottish Ministers and others

Acting for thousands (about 15,000 to date) of police officers in England, Wales and Scotland in a challenge to the transitional protection given to some officers (i.e. those closer to retirement age and who are older and proportionately more male and white) when the 2015 police pension scheme was introduced. The respondents are every police force (43 in England and Wales plus the Scottish force), the Home Secretary and the Scottish Ministers. The respondents have conceded liability.

IBM v Dalgleish

Part of the team that represented the Trustee in the remedy proceedings in the High Court.

Acting for the Trustee and employer in what has the potential to be a landmark Part 8 concerning an estoppel by convention and/or by deed, operating to prevent the members from asserting that the scheme did not close to future accrual from the intended date.

Wedgwood v Salt

Represented the successful trustee in Part 8 proceedings to determine the scope of the amendment power.

Williams v Trustees of Swansea University Pension Scheme and another [2019] 1 WLR 93

Instructed by the respondents in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in the first appellate case to consider the meaning of ‘unfavourable’ in a disability discrimination claim under s15, EqA and its application to the provision of ill health retirement benefits.

Unipart Group Ltd v UGC Pension Trustees Ltd [2018] EWHC 2124 (Ch)

Acted for the Trustee in a claim under Part 8 for rectification of the Scheme’s deed and rules.

HD v Secretary of State for Defence [2017] 4 WLR 182

Acted on behalf of the Secretary of State in an appeal concerning the award of a War widow’s pension.

Saul has extensive experience of all areas of employment law and appears regularly in the EAT, as well as in the Court of Appeal.

Notable Employment cases


Ahmed & Others v Sainsbury’s Supermarkets

This is an Equal pay claims by thousands of shop workers. The case will decide some key issues relating both to equal pay and to the application of the EC rules to multi-party litigation.

Petrica v Central London Community NHS Trust [2021] 5 WLUK 591

Acted for the claimant in an appeal concerning the correct approach the ET should take to determining the scope of the Claim Form and lists of issues.

Khorochilova v Euro Rep Ltd [2020] 2 WLUK 674

Acted for the claimant in a case concerning the correct approach to determining the issues of disability – in particular in cases concerning a mental impairment.

Davies v HL Insurance Limited [2020] IRLR 490

Acted for the successful claimant in a reinstatement appeal on the basis that a claimant requiring additional training in order to undertake an alternative role did not mean that re-engagement was not practicable.

Williams v Trustees of Swansea University Pension Scheme and another [2019] 1 WLR 93

Instructed by the respondents in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in the first appellate case to consider the meaning of ‘unfavourable’ in a disability discrimination claim under s15, EqA.

Bonnie v Department for Work and Pensions [2019] ICR 789)

Acted for one of the successful Claimants in an appeal concerning the question of when time starts to run for an appeal in circumstances where the judgment has been sent to someone who is not a party to the proceedings. The case a resulted in the ET guidance on time limits being re-written.

Aarons and others v Home Secretary and others / Scottish Ministers and others

Acting for thousands (about 15,000 to date) of police officers in England, Wales and Scotland in a challenge to the transitional protection given to some officers (i.e. those closer to retirement age and who are older and proportionately more male and white) when the 2015 police pension scheme was introduced. The respondents are every police force (43 in England and Wales plus the Scottish force), the Home Secretary and the Scottish Ministers. The respondents have conceded liability.

Davies v DL Insurance Services Ltd [2020] 1 WLUK 521

Acted for the claimant / appellant in one of the few re-instatement / re-engagement cases dealt with in recent years by the EAT. The EAT held that although the claimant might have needed some training and was not the best candidate for one particular job, this did not necessarily mean that compliance with a re-engagement order was not practicable.

Related updates

Saul Margo is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please click here.

"Saul is meticulous, persuasive, passionate and formidable."; "Saul is excellent to work with. He is responsive, clear and commercial in his approach. He quickly grasps the key issues and has a great way with clients and witnesses."; "He is razor sharp, his commitment is faultless and he provides the advice we need."

Employment, Chambers & Partners 2024

"Saul is a standout senior junior in the pensions market."; "Saul is possibly the leading junior at Outer Temple and I would not be surprised to see him make silk in the next few years. He is by far the most user-friendly, commercial barrister I have worked with. He has an understanding of the realities of managing clients that others seem to struggle with."; "He's clever, really hard-working and will roll up his sleeves and help out."

Pensions, Chambers & Partners 2024

'Impressive technical skills and pleasing user-friendly manner.'

Pensions, Legal 500, 2024

‘Saul is a consummate technician. He is very hard working and thorough, and can hold his own against silks. A cogent advocate.'

Employment, Legal 500, 2024

“Saul has an outstanding mind and always has the details right at his fingertips.”

Employment, Chambers and Partners 2023

“Saul is very smart, very diligent, and has a good reputation. He's an extremely hard-working and experienced junior.”

Pensions, Chambers and Partners

“Saul's a really impressive barrister - very considered, thoughtful, meticulous and really engaged when working on cases.”

Pensions, Chambers and Partners 2023

“His pleadings are excellent and he is a really good advocate with excellent judgement.”

Pensions, Chambers and Partners 2023

“He knows how to obtain instructions or information from a large number of claimants and how best to progress and action group litigation as a whole.”

Group Litigation, Chambers and Partners 2023

"An extremely user friendly senior junior, Saul is able to take technically complex concepts and make them easily digestible and understandable for clients."

Pensions, Legal 500 2023

"Saul has extensive and in-depth knowledge of employment and pensions law. He thinks carefully and logically, and applies his intellect in a practical way; and he communicates with clients with clarity and empathy."

Employment, Legal 500 2023

"Saul is an excellent senior junior. His analysis is perceptive and acute and he can master the details of a large and complex case."

Pensions, Legal 500 2022

"Technically excellent, combined with preparation that leaves no point of evidence or legal argument unturned, Saul is formidable, yet persuasive and charming as an advocate. A real class act, and a barrister that inspires confidence with style and panache - simply brilliant."

Employment, Legal 500 2022

"His considerable intellect and personable manner make him well-suited to both complex employment and pensions cases."

Legal 500, 2020 (Pensions– Leading Juniors)

"Highly able employment barrister who fights hard for his client and combines excellent judgement with attractive and forceful advocacy."

Legal 500, 2020 (Employment – Leading Juniors)

"He's very personable and technically very strong."

Chambers & Partners 2020 (Pensions)

"A very knowledgeable advocate who is able to quickly get to grips with complex legal and factual matters." "A studious and clear lawyer who is handling very interesting cases."

Chambers & Partners, 2020 (Employment)

"A calm and well-prepared advocate who gives clear and confident advice."

Legal 500, 2019 (Pensions– Leading Juniors)

"Polished, confident and technically excellent."

Chambers & Partners, 2019 (Pensions)

"He provides clear and confident advice that is commercially sensible."

Chambers & Partners, 2019 (Employment)

To find out more, contact Nick Levett +44 (0)20 7427 4908 or Mark Gardner +44 (0)20 7427 4909 for a confidential discussion.

Our dedicated practice management team can help you identify the right barrister for your case.

  • LexisNexis Author (Pensions Q&A)

  • First in Philosophy (Cambridge)
  • MSc in Philosophy and Politics  (LSE)
  • Denning Scholar (Lincoln’s Inn)

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