Event: Pensions Law Conference, Bristol – Monday 28th April 2025

Join us to hear from our leading pensions law barristers on Monday 28th April 2025 at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel for an afternoon of pensions law talks at the first stop of this year’s conference series.

You are invited to join Outer Temple’s pensions team for an afternoon of talks covering all things pensions law on Monday 28th April 2025. The event will consist of a series of presentations and panel discussions, followed by drinks.

Topics of discussion will include:

• Fetters – Where are we now?
• Members entitlement to non-statutory pre-97 increases
• Enough already… too much of a good thing? All the trusts law you need to deal with surpluses
• A survey of current legal issues for pension scheme investment
• Pensions Ombudsman – Procedure, Practice and Oral Hearings
• Silks Fireside Chat

Agenda

1:30pm – Registration
1:50pm to 5:30pm – Pensions law talks
5:30pm – Networking drinks

Book Your Place

Venue: Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TA
Date: Monday 28th April 2025
Time: 1.30pm – 5:30pm, followed by a drinks reception

Places are limited and booking is required. Please register here, selecting the relevant date for this conference.

The next conferences of this series will be taking place in Manchester on Monday 19th May 2025 and in London on Thursday 12th June 2025 . Details will be shared soon.

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

Nicolas Stallworthy KC

Nicolas is widely acknowledged as one of the stars of the pensions bar (long top-ranked by both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500).  He has appeared in pension cases at all appellate levels, including three in the Supreme Court.  Nick was twice elected to the Main Committee of the Association of Pensions Lawyers. In 2021, Nugee J’s judgment re: the Royal Bank of Scotland Scheme described Nick as “to my personal knowledge, an eminent practitioner in the field of pensions law”.  Nick appeared in the most significant pensions case of 2024 (Virgin Media in the Court of Appeal) and will appear in the most significant pensions case of 2025 (The Pensions Trust).

Andrew Spink KC

Andrew has been listed as a leading silk in pensions in Chambers & Partners (Band 1) and Legal 500 (Tier 1) ever since being appointed KC in 2003. Over that time, he has appeared in many of the leading pieces of litigation in the Chancery Division and in the newer and fast-developing field of work involving the Pensions Regulator. Having appeared in many of the leading pensions cases of the last two decades, Andrew remains one of the most prominent and sought-after pensions silks, whether it be in technical Part 8 work, regulatory work, or hard-fought Part 7 pensions litigation, professional negligence or advisory work all of which are reflected in the high profile cases in which he has been involved in including – British Telecom, British Airways, Honda, Atos, McGraw-Hill RBP and a number of ground-breaking Regulatory matters.

Andrew Short KC

Andrew is instructed in the key pensions cases of the moment and his current and recent cases before the Court of Appeal have ramifications across the industry. These deal with the status of the Pensions Ombudsman (CMG); derivative claims (USS); the legality of the public sector pension reforms (FBU) and, perhaps most of all, the decision on section 37 PSA (Virgin) which was almost certainly the most significant pensions case from 2024. He has been instructed on behalf of several high-profile firms of pensions solicitors and a well-known silk seeking to stave off professional negligence claims. In addition to his pure technical pensions caseload, his cross-over experience means that he is particularly sought after in pensions matters with an element of employment or discrimination law (FBU and NEST).   

David E. Grant KC

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 been previously been described as “The go-to junior for Part 8 and professional negligence claims concerning pension schemes” and “He is absolutely amazing and he is very knowledgeable.”  He is the former chair of the Association of Pension Lawyers’ Litigation Committee and is secretary of the Pensions Litigation Court Users Committee chaired by Mr Justice Trower (following the elevation of Lord Justice Nugee).

Philip Stear

Philip is an acknowledged expert in relation to technical pensions law and regulatory practice, and combines this with long practical experience of occupational pension schemes and the practical challenges they face in relation to governance and trusteeship, benefit design and modification, funding and security and member communications and disputes. He advises in relation to the construction of pension scheme trust deeds, statutory and regulatory requirements, and breach of trust allegations. Philip appeared in the Court of Appeal (led by Nicolas Stallworthy KC) in Virgin Media v NTL Pension Trustees II Limited & another, undoubtedly one of the most important pensions cases ever heard in terms of its impact on the pensions industry.   

Naomi Ling

Naomi is a specialist in Pensions law and Employment law. Her caseload includes a wide variety of pure pensions issues (for example, construction, rectification and professional negligence) and those with an employment law cross over (including TUPE and discrimination). She has a particular interest in statutory schemes and their treatment in law, including public law and human rights issues. Naomi acts for members, employers, trustees, local authorities and central government in a wide range of pensions issues.

Saul Margo

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. Saul is involved in cases concerning some of the largest pensions schemes in the UK including BBC Scheme, the BP Scheme and the schemes in Re Project Swan and Re Project Texas. He is also instructed in appeals against decisions of the Pensions Ombudsman, test litigation for  tPR concerning auto-enrolment obligations and some of the highest profile public sector cases of recent years.

Gus Baker

Gus Baker is an experienced pensions barrister who is frequently instructed in significant claims of high value and sensitivity. Gus acts for trustees, employers, defendant solicitors and administrators in part 8 claims, professional negligence proceedings, and applications for rectification. Recent cases include acting for a representative beneficiary in a large Part 8 Claim, advising (unled) employers of a scheme in relation to various mistakes in historic deeds and various work bringing and resisting claims on behalf of scheme members in connection with negligent mistakes and representations made by employers and administrators.

Charlotte Elves

Charlotte has a broad practice, including public law and sanctions, commercial litigation, insolvency, pensions and employment. Charlotte has developed a thriving pensions practice. She is instructed both for and against the Pensions Regulator in Anti-Avoidance cases as well as matters of real industry interest. She regularly advises trustees on scheme amendments and both trustees and members in proceedings before the Pension’s Ombudsman. She was recently published in Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency and has delivered training to the Police Pensions Forum and the Pensions Regulator.  

Events, News 15 Apr, 2025