EXPERTISE
Richard joined Addleshaw Goddard LLP in September 2021 and is a Legal Director in the firm's Pensions Team. Prior to joining the firm, he was for many years a pensions partner at a global law firm. Richard has specialised in pensions law for more than 25 years.
Richard advises employers and trustees on a full range of pensions-related legal issues. He acts in respect of a wide variety of pension schemes, from small insured arrangements to large multi-employer defined benefit schemes, and is able to tailor his advice accordingly.
Richard has extensive experience of advising on the pensions aspects of corporate transactions and business reorganisations (a number of which have involved active engagement with the Pensions Regulator and obtaining clearance) and of drafting associated pensions documentation.
Richard also regularly advises SSAS and SIPP providers on sales and acquisitions of pensions-related businesses.
Richard has for many years been ranked in Band 1 in Chambers and Partners legal directory, in which he has been described as "technically brilliant", "proactive and commercially minded" and "great when the going gets tough". For a number of years, he has also been recognised as a leading pensions lawyer in The Legal 500, in which he had been described by clients as "outstanding" and as being "very good in a difficult situation".
- Experience
Richard's recent experience includes:
- advising the trustee company of a £1.6bn final salary pension scheme in the manufacturing sector in relation to the sale of the scheme’s sponsoring employer. This was a long-running and complicated transaction, in respect of which the pensions issues were critical to the deal going through, and in which the Pensions Regulator was very actively involved
- advising the trustees of a large defined benefit scheme in the transport sector in connection with the sale of the sponsoring employer's group as part of a multi-billion pound, international transaction.
- advising the trustees of a substantial final salary scheme in the energy sector on a £300m buy-in with an insurance company.
- advising the trustees of a defined benefit pension scheme of a PLC, which was experiencing serious cash flow issues, in connection with the restructuring and refinancing of its group, which involved lengthy and complicated negotiations with the employer.
- advising a company in the utilities sector on the closure of its £1bn pension scheme to future accrual, which involved navigating complicated, post-privatisation member protection measures and advising on complex mitigation arrangements.
- Education
- College of Law Chester
- University of Nottingham
- Memberships
- Member of the Association of Pension Lawyers
