Partner

Emma Frost

Co-head of the Finance Practice Group

Languages

English

Emma is a Partner in our Pensions team and Co-Head of the Finance Practice Group. She is recognised as a leading practitioner in the pensions industry in the Who’s Who Legal.

Emma has extensive experience in advising trustees and employers on all aspects of the law relating to occupational pension schemes including scheme mergers, dispute resolution, pensions aspects of corporate transactions and work involving the Pensions Regulator.

Emma is the client partner for a number of major pension schemes including House of Fraser, Honeywell, Harrods, Sony Music and Royal London.

Awards & Recognitions

01 –

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“Emma is a great all-rounder. We have strong confidence in the quality of her advice, and her ability to deliver on time and on budget. It is a pleasure working with her."

Chambers, 2024
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"Very knowledgeable, approachable and reacts quickly to requests"

Chambers
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Emma is singled out as “excellent” in the Legal 500

Relevant experience

The Section 75 debt implications and negotiations on the sale of part of a group.
The simultaneous merger of six defined benefit schemes into a new scheme.
Currently advising a number of trustees and employers in relation to funding negotiations for their schemes.
The Trustee of an airline pension scheme in negotiations arising from the company's sale to a private equity firm and the scheme's entry into the Pension Protection Fund (PPF).
Trustees on the cessation of future accrual and negotiations with the sponsoring company including securing a guarantee from the US parent company.
Trustees on the release of a PPF guarantee and the purchase of (non employer-related) shares owned by the company in order to secure the viability of the company. This included discussions with the Pensions Regulator and time pressured negotiations to secure appropriate terms for the trustees.
Settlement negotiations between trustees and their administrators and securing appropriate terms for the member disputes on behalf of the trustees.
Ombudsman complaints and preparing a response on behalf of trustees/employers.
The implications for a pension scheme on the transfer of high value assets from one of the participating employers.
Providing advice in relation to asset backed funding arrangements; most recently involving a commercial property which was also key in providing additional protection for the trustees in the event of an insolvency scenario.

Publications

Contributor to the Pensions Law Handbook (16th Edition), Bloomsbury Professional.
Contributor to the Pensions Law Handbook (15th Edition), Bloomsbury Professional.

Memberships & Roles

Full member of the Associate of Pension Lawyers
Emma sits on the Association of Pension Lawyers International Committee

Education

2001 – LPC, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham
2000 – Law Degree, University of Nottingham, Nottingham

Practice Areas

Pensions Employment, Labour & Pensions Dispute Resolution

Insights

Global Reach

UK Pay Gap Report 2024