Areas of practice:

Kate is a partner and co-head of the pensions team with Louise Edwards.  She trained with international law firm, Baker McKenzie, joining its pensions team on qualification in 2004.  Kate subsequently relocated to Yorkshire and joined Wrigleys in 2017. 

Kate has many long standing trustee clients whom she assists with queries including the interpretation of scheme rules, the resolution of member complaints, and the application of new case law and legislation including with regards to GMP equalisation and the UK GDPR. 

Kate has significant experience advising on the impact of corporate transactions and restructuring on schemes, including statutory debt triggers, anti-avoidance issues, and the negotiation and drafting of contingent assets.  Working in tandem with the firm’s charities and social economy team, she is well placed to advise charities and other not for profit organisations on their pensions obligations arising, for example, on incorporation, merger and public sector outsourcing.

Recent experience includes:

• advising the trustees of an occupational pension scheme on the bulk transfer of assets to a DC master trust (following the client’s referral to the Wrigleys’ pensions team by the London office of a national firm who were retained to advise the master trust).  Advice included reviewing / negotiating the terms of the deed of participation, the transfer agreement and pre-funding letter.
• advising a local branch of a substantial UK charity on the transfer of pensions liabilities from the unincorporated to the incorporated branch by way of a flexible apportionment arrangement.  Advice included admitting the incorporated branch to participate in the charity’s pension scheme, re-opening the scheme to future accrual, and drafting / negotiating the terms of the deed to record the flexible apportionment arrangement.
• advising schemes and employers in connection with the implementation of liability management exercises, including the provision of enhanced transfer values and pension increase exchanges.

Testimonials:

"Kate is very bright and very thorough but she's also very practical. She's got a really good approach with clients." (Chambers and Partners)

Professional memberships:

Association of Pension Lawyers

Publications: