Kirsty is a pensions law specialist who helps trustees and employers to navigate complex pensions issues with confidence.
She is particularly experienced in resolving historic member benefit issues, advising on statutory debt implications, redrafting pension scheme documentation, acting in relation to scheme mergers and consolidations, and managing sensitive member disputes.
Most recently she has guided schemes through Guaranteed Minimum Pension equalisation and conversion, and advised on risk transfer projects including buying out benefits with insurers.
• Advising trustees of a multi-billion-pound defined benefit pension scheme on a range of legal issues, including corporate activity, member disputes, general code compliance and funding matters.
• Acting as lead adviser to a number of pension schemes in the Scottish university sector, including advice on data protection, contingent assets, benefit changes and historic equalisation and escalation issues.
• Collaborating as part of a multi-adviser team to secure benefits for all members of a UK defined benefit pension scheme including bespoke ongoing terms for members in service.
• Advising trustees and employers on the implications of the Virgin Media court ruling for pension schemes contracted-out on the reference scheme basis.
• Advising a multinational employer in connection with a number of pensions and related issues, including the replacement of their occupational pension scheme’s trust deed and rules and the establishment of group life assurance trusts.
• Providing bespoke training for a range of clients on trustee duties, managing conflicts, discretionary decision-making and current legal issues.
Highlights include:
- Completing the merger of five defined benefit pension schemes into a single, segregated scheme.
- Advising on the pensions implications of an employer insolvency and implementing an innovative scheme rescue arrangement.
- Succesfully bringing a special case before the Court of Session to resolve historic benefit issues.
