Philip Woolham

I practise across all aspects of pension law, across the public, third and private sectors.  I have experience on advising on public sector pension schemes, including the Local Government Pension Scheme, the National Health Service Pension Scheme and the Teachers' Pension Scheme, and national industry-wide arrangements such as the Social Housing Pension Scheme and the Independent Schools Pension Scheme.

I have experience of a wide range of private sector pension arrangements, including advising in relation to defined-benefit (final salary type) pension schemes on an ongoing basis, and also in relation to their closure and winding up. I have extensively advised foreign owners of UK organisation which sponsor pension arrangements on their duties and obligations.

I advise employers, trustee bodies and individuals, including parties to transactions with a pension element.  I have experience in outsourcing from the public to the private sector, advising public bodies, private and third-sector employers, including in respect of secondary transactions and insourcing.  I advise in relation to trust-based, unfunded and contractually-based pension arrangements.

I have extensive experience of advising in relation to automatic enrolment pension obligations, both in relation to existing schemes and when appropriate arrangements must be set up.

I advise on all aspects of their legal obligations, in relation to disputes between members and trustees and employers, from informal discussions to the level of complaints to the Pensions Ombudsman.