The Pensions Group is a full service pensions practice of specialist pensions lawyers with long experience and a proven track record.
We represent clients in all sectors – sponsoring employers (Irish and multinational plcs/private companies), scheme trustees and members/individuals.
We have a strong commitment to service and excellence in everything we do.
We are one of only three law firms who are registered trainers for pension scheme trustees with the Irish Pensions Authority.
The Pensions Group provides both general and project specific pensions advice including:
- Pension scheme design and planning (e.g. defined benefit and defined contribution schemes, PRSAs)
- Documentation (e.g. drafting, amending and reviewing trust deeds, explanatory booklets)
- Revenue Commissioners and Pensions Authority approvals (e.g. registering schemes, obtaining tax clearance, consents, dealing with regulator’s queries)
- Trustees duties and obligations (e.g. what trustees should do, member trustees, scope of obligations)
- Trusteeship (e.g. trustee training, compliance with pensions legislation, attendance at trustees meetings)
- Disputes and complaints (e.g. dealing with complaints to the Pensions Ombudsman, Pensions Authority investigations, pensions litigation in the Courts)
- Changes to schemes including restructuring/derisking (e.g. moving from defined benefit to defined contribution or hybrid arrangements, closing schemes to new members, benefit structure changes, altering contribution levels, freezing schemes, new pension arrangements for future service, winding up and creating new schemes, issues for trustees)
- Investment management/custodianship (e.g. preparing agreements, reviewing reports)
- Equality issues (e.g. equal treatment between men and women, ageism)
- Scheme mergers and winding up (e.g. priority of payments, dealing with financial deficit)
- Company M&As and outsourcing's (e.g. pensions due diligence, warranties, transfer arrangements in both Irish and multi-jurisdictional transactions)
- Pensions aspects of insolvency (e.g. advising liquidators/administrators of insolvent companies on pensions)
- Retirement planning (e.g. tax aspects, Approved Retirement Funds (ARF's), annuities)
- Pension products (e.g. sales and related documentation)
- EU cross-border pension schemes (e.g. Irish and non Irish cross-border schemes, social and labour laws, interaction issues)
Our added value offerings
We provide a range of publications on pensions, including “Pensions in Ireland” and “ARIA/Pensions Health Check” and news updates in our pensions e-zines and client bulletins. We also host regular pensions briefings, seminars and roundtable discussions for clients and pensions industry groups.
Our commitment to the pensions industry
We are actively involved in the pensions industry and participate at committee level in the Irish Association of Pensions Funds, the Association of Pension Lawyers in Ireland and other Irish/international pensions interest groups.