The Pensions Group is a full service pensions practice of specialist pensions lawyers (rated Tier 1 by Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 and Band 1 by Chambers Europe, 2010) 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. 

The Pensions Group provides both general and project specific pensions advice including:

• Pension scheme design and planning (eg defined benefit and defined contribution schemes, PRSAs)
• Documentation (eg drafting, amending and reviewing trust deeds, explanatory booklets)
• Revenue Commissioners and Pensions Board approvals (eg registering schemes, obtaining tax clearance, consents, dealing with regulator’s queries)
• Trustees duties and obligations (eg what trustees should do, member trustees, scope of obligations)
• Trusteeship (eg trustee training, compliance with pensions legislation, attendance at trustees meetings)
• Disputes and complaints (eg dealing with complaints to the Pensions Ombudsman, Pensions Board investigations, pensions litigation in the Courts)
• Changes to schemes including restructuring/derisking (eg 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 (eg preparing agreements, reviewing reports)
• Equality issues (eg equal treatment between men and women, ageism)
• Scheme mergers and winding up (eg priority of payments, dealing with surplus)
• Company M&As and outsourcings (eg pensions due diligence, warranties, transfer arrangements in both Irish and multi-jurisdictional transactions)
• Pensions aspects of insolvency (eg advising liquidators/administrators of insolvent companies on pensions)
• Retirement planning (eg tax aspects, Approved Retirement Funds (ARFs), annuities)
• Pension products (eg sales and related documentation)
• EU cross-border pension schemes (eg 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. 

Our experience includes:

• Advising the trustees of the Arnotts Staff Pension Fund on an innovative scheme surplus proposal
• Advising the trustees of the Aviva Ireland Staff Pension Fund on the amalgamation of a number of group pension schemes
• Advising Glanbia Co-Op on a significant pensions fund deficit issue in connection with its proposed acquisition of the Irish businesses of Glanbia plc
• Advising the Nestlé Ireland Pensions Fund on an EU corss-border scheme merger
• Advising the Joint Administrators of Nortel Networks (a UK administration extending to 18 jurisdictions, including Ireland, under the jurisdiction of the High Court in London) on minimising funding exposure with respect to its Irish pension operations
• Advising Robt. Roberts on a restructuring of its defined benefit pension arrangement, including an increase in members’ normal retirement date and the making of an application to the Pensions Board to reduce members’ benefits
• Advising the trustees of the Univar Ireland Pension Scheme on a restructuring and the commencement of future benefit accrual on a defined contribution basis
• Advising Wolseley on the pensions aspects of the sale of its Irish operations which involved co-ordinating and handling the complexities in respect of 8 group pension schemes in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

Department
Sources say: 'Everyone we deal with is just superb. We value the team's judgement and view them as colleagues.'
Chambers Europe, 2012 - Employment

William Fry provides ‘top drawer’, ‘pragmatic and appropriate’ advice.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Pensions & Employee Benefits

William Fry advises in ‘a clear and pragmatic way'.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Employment

William Fry wins praise for its ‘excellent grasp and understanding of complex issues’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2011 - Pensions & Employee Benefits

'The lawyers have built up a knowledge of how we handle our business so that there is now a fantastic common understanding.'
Chambers Europe, 2011 - Employment

William Fry is ‘hard working and responsive’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 - Employment

Large employers from the public and private sector form the majority of the client roster, and they call the team ‘pragmatic, responsive, client-focused, and ready to go at any time.’  According to sources, ‘William Fry lawyers take care of the legal side but, with a solid commercial approach, they almost act as business consultants as well’.
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Employment

Team

Boyce Shubotham
Boyce Shubotham is lauded as 'experienced and practical. He always lays out options and his advice has avoided a lot of litigation.'
Chambers Europe, 2012 - Employment

Boyce Shubotham is ‘just amazing’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Employment

Boyce Shubotham is hailed as a ‘top-class adviser'.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2011 - Employment

Boyce Shubotham is praised for ‘demonstrating mastery of the law’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 - Employment

Boyce Shubotham leads the team and is recommended for his handling of complex employment litigation.
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Employment

Michael Wolfe
Michael Wolfe is ‘an excellent pensions lawyer’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Pensions & Employee Benefits

Michael Wolfe picked out for his ‘first-class approach’ and ‘comprehensive, straightforward and timely advice’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2011 - Pensions & Employee Benefits

Michael Wolfe is admired as 'an excellent communicator who knows his area inside out.'
Chambers Europe, 2011 - Employment

Michael Wolfe provides ‘excellent advice, not just on strict legal issues but also on the appropriate tactical approach’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 - Pensions and Employee Benefits

‘He is extremely experienced and his advice is legally and tactically spot-on,’ according to clients.
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Employment

Maura Roe
Maura Roe is ‘technical and knows where the client is coming from’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 - Pensions and Employee Benefits

Maura Roe brings an international dimension, having worked for a prominent US law firm, and sources appreciate that she is ‘responsive and knows the legislation extremely well’.
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Employment

Alicia Compton
Alicia Compton 'is a great asset. She has a deep understanding of our needs and will anticipate all the issues that could affect us,' clients note.
Chambers Europe, 2012 - Employment

'Alicia Compton has few peers'.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Employment

Alicia Compton can lay claim to being ‘the best employment lawyer in Ireland’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2011 - Employment

Clients praise Alicia Compton for her 'rare ability to put herself in our shoes, warn us of the implications of an action and advise us quickly.'
Chambers Europe, 2011 - Employment

Alicia Compton is ‘a pragmatic lawyer with a knack for distilling complex information down to the essential elements,’ say sources.
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Employment

'Alicia Compton is an expert in equality-related matters, and has advised both public and private sector bodies on potential equality issues. She is also a member of the Health and Safety Lawyers' Association'.
Chambers Global, 2009 - Employment

Maryrose Dillon
Maryrose Dillon is ‘a rising star in Irish employment law circles’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Employment