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Portrait ofMaria Rodia

Maria Rodia

Partner

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
Cannon Place
78 Cannon Street
London
EC4N 6AF
United Kingdom
Languages English, German, French

Maria Rodia is a partner in our market-leading Pensions practice.

She advises trustees of occupational pension schemes of all sizes, as well as employers, providers and investment consultant clients, on all aspects of UK pensions law including pensions investment (including buy-ins, buy-outs and longevity), scheme governance, benefit design, defined contribution arrangements, ombudsman investigations, PPF issues, scheme mergers and bulk transfers, contingent assets and other security, and the pensions aspects of corporate activity.

Maria has particular expertise dealing with large, sectionalised defined benefit pension schemes, complex pensions investment issues and industry-wide schemes such as the ESPS and all the issues they create.

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"Recommended for giving ‘assured performances’ at trustee meetings and inspiring ‘total confidence’ in her clients."

Legal 500

Relevant experience

  • The scheme documentation for a 14-section defined benefit scheme with GBP 3bn assets following advice on a number of scheme mergers and advising the trustees in relation to the implementation of a covenant-improving security package, including guarantees and floating charges.
  • The trustees of the pension scheme of a large pharmaceutical company with GBP 2.5bn assets on a complex sectionalised bulk transfer exercise following the dissolution of a joint venture.
  • The trustees of a large DB scheme regarding PPF eligibility and entry and a subsequent Pensions Regulator investigation.
  • The trustees of a large defined benefit pension scheme regarding the cessation of accrual, the establishment of a defined contribution section and various complex employer debt issues.
  • Clients on sectionalisation and de-sectionalisation, including PPF entry issues, cross-subsidisation, section-specific investment strategies, and triggers for automatic and discretionary merger of assets.
  • Corporate and trustee clients in relation to the ESPS including advice on protected persons, Ofgem responses, investment and compliance with the scheme-wide investment framework, and the validity of amendments.
  • Trustee clients on investment matters such as liability driven investment, longevity transactions, buy-ins and buy-outs and DC options.
  • Investment consultant clients on a range of investment topics and documentation.
  • The trustees of a large scheme on member communications and proposal to increase member information and engagement where employees are situated across more than 600 sites around the UK, including deferred information exercises, review of the scheme website and filmed podcast announcements from the chairman.
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Memberships & Roles

  • Member, Association of Pension Lawyers
  • Member, Legislative & Parliamentary Committee, Association of Pension Lawyers
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Publications

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Lectures list

  • 2015 – Speaker, Association of Pension Lawyers Summer Conference
  • 2015 – Speaker, National Association of Pension Funds Annual Conference
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Education

  • 2003 - LPC, College of Law, London
  • 2001 - PgDL, College of Law, London
  • 2000 - BA History, University of York, York
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Feed

08/02/2024
Trustee Knowledge Update – November 2023 - January 2024
Trustees of occupational pension schemes have a statutory duty to ensure that they have an adequate knowledge and understanding of the legal issues relevant to their scheme. They must also ensure that...
10/01/2024
TPR General Code of Practice - great expectations for good governance
The long anticipated General Code of Practice from The Pensions Regulator has been laid before Parliament today, with an expected go-live date of 27 March 2024.The General Code replaces ten of the existing...
22/11/2023
Autumn Statement: a bumper day for pensions
After a quiet King’s Speech for pensions, there was plenty of content to make up for it in today’s Autumn Statement, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer announcing a raft of new pension measures...
10/11/2023
Trustee Knowledge Update – August-October 2023
Trustees of occupational pension schemes have a statutory duty to ensure that they have an adequate knowledge and understanding of the legal issues relevant to their scheme. They must also ensure that...
08/08/2023
Trustee Knowledge Update - May - July 2023
Trustees of occupational pension schemes have a statutory duty to ensure that they have an adequate knowledge and understanding of the legal issues relevant to their scheme. They must also ensure that...
03/05/2023
Trustee Knowledge Update - February - April 2023
Trustees of occupational pension schemes have a statutory duty to ensure that they have an adequate knowledge and understanding of the legal issues relevant to their scheme.  They must also ensure that...
07/03/2023
Tune into the latest ‘CMS Pensions LawCast’ episode #46 – What options...
Hosted by CMS Pensions experts, this series looks at what is meant by a residual risk, and what options are available to trustees when considering a residual risk trans­ac­tion.Epis­ode #46 – Residual...
05/12/2022
CMS advises Trustees of Musicians’ Union Pension Fund on transaction with...
CMS advised the Trustees of the Musicians’ Union Permanent Officials and Staff Pension Fund on the recent £13m bulk purchase annuity full buy-out transaction by Aviva, the UK insurance, wealth & retirement...
14/11/2022
CMS Pensions Coffee Corner
Calling everyone who works in the pensions industry! We invite you to join us at the CMS Pensions Coffee Corner. Pen­sions Coffee Corner connects individuals with their peers, providing an opportunity...
10/11/2022
CMS introduces the Pensions Law Appraised App
CMS announces today the launch of its new Pensions app, Pensions Law Appraised. The App, which will be available via the App Store, aims to offer real-time guidance on the latest legal developments affecting...
08/11/2022
Trustee Knowledge Update – August-October 2022
Trustees of occupational pension schemes have a statutory duty to ensure that they have an adequate knowledge and understanding of the legal issues relevant to their scheme. They must also ensure that...
08/08/2022
CMS advises the WH Smith Pension Trust on £1bn buy-in with Standard Life
International law firm CMS has advised the Trustee of the WH Smith Pension Trust on a £1bn residual risks buy-in with Standard Life, part of the Phoenix Group. The £1bn bulk purchase annuity arrangement...