Event: Join Outer Temple Chambers at the Edwardian Manchester for the second stop of our Pensions Law Conference Series

Join us to hear from our leading pensions law barristers on Thursday 16th of May 2024 for an afternoon of talks at the second stop of this conference series around the country.

You are invited to join the Outer Temple’s pensions team for an afternoon of talks, covering all things pensions law on Thursday 16th May 2024. Topics will include: the Avon judgment, section 57 of the Trustee Act 1925, defending contribution notices, and notable non-pensions cases for pensions lawyers. The event will be rounded off with a panel discussion comprised of Outer Temple’s silks, followed by early evening networking drinks.

Agenda

1.30pm – Registration

1.50pm – 2.00pm – Welcome & Introduction

2:00pm – 2:30pm – Severing the bad from the good: a new approach where amendments are made in breach of a fetter following Avon Cosmetics Ltd v Dalriada Trustees & Another – Richard Hitchcock KC and Naomi Ling

2.30pm to 3:00pm –Section 57 of the Trustee Act 1925: a novel jurisdiction for schemes with restricted amendment powers – Nick Stallworthy KC and Philip Stear

3pm to 3.30pm – Defending Contribution Notices: Lessons from the Case Law and Strategic Tips  –  Michael Uberoi and Charlotte Elves 

3.30pm – Coffee Break

4pm to 4.30pm – The non pensions cases that pensions lawyers should know about – Nicholas Hill and Elizabeth Grace

4.30pm to 5pm – Silks Panel – Fireside chat Nicolas Stallworthy KC, Richard Hitchcock KC and David Grant KC

Book your place

Venue: The Edwardian Manchester, Free Trade Hall, Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5GP
Date: Thursday 16th May 2024
Time: 1.30pm – 5:00pm followed by a drinks reception

Places are limited and booking is required. Please register, here.

The talks at this event will be recorded for on-demand viewing on our YouTube channel. The audience will not be visible at any time.

Speaker Bios

Richard Hitchcock KC – Richard has a broad experience of acting as adviser and advocate in the commercial sphere. He has expertise in all areas of law relating to trusts occupational pension schemes, acting for trustees, employers, beneficiaries / members, trade unions and third parties to the trust (principally actuaries, auditors, accountants, brokers, scheme consultants and solicitors). Richard is recommended in Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 for his pensions expertise and has exceptional experience of Regulatory cases involving U.S. targets, and in negotiating and litigating UK pensions issues against a backdrop of US debt restructuring.

Naomi Ling – Naomi has over twenty years’ experience as an advocate and is sought after as a specialist in both employment law and pensions law and in particular the area of cross-over between the two. Naomi is an experienced and sought after barrister, acting for members, employers, trustees, local authorities and central government in a wide range of pensions issues. She has a particular interest in statutory pension schemes and employee entitlements and is also experienced in trust based part 8 claims, claims for rectification and professional negligence. She has considerable expertise in the developing area of human rights law relating to pensions, via Article 14 and A1P1 of the ECHR.

Elizabeth Grace – Elizabeth regularly advises on occupational pension schemes in both the private and public sector in relation to complaints of maladministration and discrimination. Her advisory work spans complaints to the Pensions Ombudsman, appeals from the Pensions Ombudsman to the High Court, and claims brought in the Employment Tribunal. Elizabeth has also advised on negligent misstatement, rectification, construction, and the equitable doctrine of laches in the pensions context. She has particular expertise in pensions misselling and advice to transfer out of defined benefit schemes. She co-authors, with Jenny Seaman, the LexisPSL note on the principles governing the construction of pension trust deeds and rules.

Victoria Brown – Victoria is a civil and commercial practitioner with a particular focus on pensions, employment and commercial disputes. She is ranked as a rising star by the Legal 500 in both Pensions and Employment. Victoria has a broad practice in pensions across occupational and personal pension schemes. She has advised in relation to Part 8 claims involving construction, rectification, equalisation, revaluation and overriding statutory powers. Victoria regularly advises public authorities and their employees, particularly in relation to misrepresentation claims and the limits of their powers and/or discretion.

Charlotte Elves – Charlotte has a broad practice, including public law and sanctions, commercial litigation, insolvency, pensions and employment. She is a member of the Attorney General’s Junior Junior Scheme. Charlotte regularly appears in preliminary and substantive hearings across the range of employment litigation for both claimant’s and defendants. She has experience of discrimination claims, whistleblowing claims, unfair dismissals and issues relating to worker status. During pupillage, Charlotte assisted on pensions matters including professional negligence claims against scheme administrators and scheme actuaries. She is currently instructed in a matter before The Pensions Regulator (led by Michael Uberoi).

Michael Uberoi – Michael practises in commercial and regulatory litigation, with a particular focus upon pensions and financial services. Michael is a leading pensions junior ranked in both Chambers & Partners, and Legal 500, he is described as as “a superstar” who has “incredible judgement”, and say that “his arguments are precise and well considered, delivered in an accessible manner”. Michael frequently advises on matters before the Pensions Ombudsman, and on appeals from determinations of the Ombudsman (including in cross-over appeals from determinations of the Financial Ombudsman Service, in relation to pension misselling). Michael has a large amount of experience advising in relation to the LGPS and other major public sector schemes.

Nicholas Hill – Nick is a leading pensions junior ranked in both Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. He is “right on top of the subject”, “finds solutions to problems”, “thinks of new arguments” and is “excellent with clients”. He has experience of most of the major public sector schemes (first gained by virtue of his appointment to the Attorney General’s Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown). He has advised on inter alia the various armed forces pension schemes, various police pension schemes, firefighter schemes, and the teachers’ pension scheme. Nick is a member of the Litigation Committee of the Association of Pension Lawyers (APL).

Nicolas Stallworthy KC – Nick is one of the most highly regarded practitioners at the pensions bar, with specialist knowledge of almost all issues affecting pensions schemes. Legal 500 describe him as a “an intellectual giant and tireless worker and inspirational litigation lead counsel in the shoes of an affable gentleman.” His cases have concerned the interpretation of trust deeds & rules and legislation, the scope and exercise of powers, 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 and pensions-related professional negligence claims (concerning solicitors, insurance companies, benefits consultants, professional trustees, actuaries & investment advisers).

David E Grant KC – David is a chancery and commercial practitioner with specialist expertise in pensions, trusts, will and estates, professional negligence, fraud and asset recovery, financial services, insolvency and employment. David has been involved in some of the most high-profile pensions cases in recent years including appearing before the Grand Chamber of the ECJ in Safeway Ltd v Newton & Anor [2020] Pens.L.R. 4 as to whether a scheme can be retrospectively levelled down. David acts for employers, trustees, members, professional advisors and public bodies. He has acted in nearly all the rectification cases in the last few years.

Find out more

To find out more on our pensions law team, please contact Matt Sale on +44 (0)20 7427 4910 or Lexie Johnson on + 44 (0) 207 427 0801 for more information.

Events, News 24 Apr, 2024