Hugh advises on all aspects of UK pensions law, including advice to employers and trustees on negotiations over funding, corporate restructurings and other events affecting employer covenant, and compliance with all technical aspects of UK pensions law. He has a particular interest in buy-ins and buy-outs; he has advised employers, trustees and insurers on several of these and spoken at industry events on this subject.
Highlights include:
- Walmart on the c. £3.8 billion buy-in of the Asda Group Pension Scheme with Rothesay Life
- An investment bank on the £700m buy-in of one of its pension schemes
- Peugeot on the transfer of the Vauxhall Motors and IBC defined contribution scheme to a master trust
- Advice to a large employer seeking to renegotiate funding terms with the trustees of four of its pension arrangements
- Advice to the Railways Pension Scheme trustee on various issues
- Advice on an unregistered life assurance plan for a large UK employer
“Hugh Gittins is noted for his experience in advising on a wide range of pension scheme matters, especially defined benefit and defined contribution issues.” (Chambers 2020)
“Senior counsel Hugh Gittins has a wealth of transactional experience involving buy-ins, buy-outs and bulk annuity transactions” (Legal 500 2020)
Former member of the Association of Pensions Lawyers Investment Committee