Mark Smith

Mark advises employers and trustees on the full range of pensions issues, including pensions disputes. He is recognised as a leading individual in the legal directories for both pensions and pensions disputes.

Clients trust Mark to provide forensic advice that complements and supports their commercial objectives.

Mark acts on the full range of pensions schemes, including schemes of FTSE 100 companies, public sector bodies and charities. He’s also acted as a trustee of several schemes through a trustee company.

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Career

Since 2007	Partner
2002 - 2007	Associate, Taylor Wessing
1998 - 2002	Associate, Edge Ellison

1996 - 1998

Trainee, Edge Ellison

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Education

1998	Admitted as a lawyer, England and Wales
1996	Legal Practice Course, Nottingham Law School
1995	Law degree, Exeter University

Memberships & Associations

Association of Pension Lawyers

Expertise

Services and Groups Employment, pensions & mobility Pensions insolvency Pensions

Sectors Consumer & retail Business & professional services

Experience

Arcadia	Acting on the restructuring and CVA of the Arcadia group (including Top Shop, Top Man and Miss Selfridge).
GBP40m transfer of pension assets	Advised the trustees of two final salary pension schemes on a GBP40m transfer of assets and liabilities into a new master trust. This was an important matter, for both the employer, as part of the rationalisation of its legacy pension arrangements, and the trustees of the two schemes, in ensuring a good outcome for the members of those schemes.
GBP200m buy in of final salary pension scheme liabilities	A company on a GBP200m buy in (insurance) of the liabilities of its final salary pension scheme, with a view to converting that to a buy out over the coming year. This has effectively rid the company of its final salary pension liabilities, in a manner that ensures the security of the scheme members' benefits.

Awards

Legal 500 UK 2022	Pensions - dispute resolution
Legal 500 UK 2020	Leading individual - Human resources: pensions: non-contentious: 'Mark Smith is extremely diligent in delivering advice in an easy to understand way and is excellent at tackling historic pensions issues', 'the thoroughness of the advice provided is outstanding'
Chambers UK 2019	Leading individual - Pensions Litigation (Band 3)
Chambers UK 2019	Leading individual - Pensions (Band 3)
Chambers UK 2018	Leading individual - Pensions (Band 3): Mark Smith handles regulatory and transactional matters for both trustees and sponsors. Sources say: "He has deep knowledge of pensions and provides well thought-out advice. He is excellent at finding practical answers, inspires total confidence, and has a fast response time."
Chambers UK 2018	Leading individual - Pensions Litigation (Band 3)