Pension Professionals

CMS’ specialist pension professionals’ team handles a large number of claims of all sizes involving alleged professional negligence by pension administrators and actuaries. A number of our team have worked within the in-house legal teams of leading pension services providers and so have first‑hand understanding of the day to day issues that pension professionals face.

Our extensive experience includes advising on disputes arising from the creation, administration, tax status, management, investment allocation, transfer, withdrawal, drawdown, benefit availability and selection, annuity purchase and wind-up of pension schemes. We deal with claims involving PPPs, SIPPs, SSASs and occupational schemes of all kinds, including:

• Defending claims made against administrators, consultants, actuaries and trustees for alleged professional negligence in the day to day running, administration and operation of pension schemes including issues concerning equalisation and transfer from defined benefit schemes to defined contribution schemes.
• Advising on the recoverability of overpayments and resolution of underpayment claims.
• Advising on issues concerning Pension Protection Fund levies.
• Handling issues relating to work place insurance schemes including private medical and death in service.
• Advising on the taxation consequences of unauthorised transactions including advising on whether an unauthorised payment has been made from a pension and the accompanying tax consequences.

We are experienced in handling proceedings and issues before the court, the Pensions Ombudsmen Service, the Pensions Advisory Service, the Pension Protection Fund and the Financial Ombudsman Service as well as dealing with tax issues raised by HMRC. Where appropriate, we work closely with our leading pensions and tax practices.

We are also experienced in advising pension professionals in relation to acquisitions including assisting with due diligence exercises.

Dispute resolution: We help our clients avoid litigation and provide expert advice to resolve disputes where possible. Our advice is clear, commercial and conscious of reputational risk. We will vigorously defend unmeritorious claims.

Full Service: As a full-service firm, we work closely with colleagues in areas such as tax and insolvency to provide comprehensive advice focused on achieving the best outcome. 

For more information and detailed credentials, contact the Partner team, details above.