Josh Sheppard Associate

Josh Sheppard

Josh acts for employers and trustees to help them resolve issues relating to occupational pension schemes, including rectification, release of surplus, equalisation and related professional negligence claims.

He also advises on responses to member complaints under schemes' internal dispute resolution procedures and to the Pensions Ombudsman, with a particular expertise in relation to transfer complaints, providing clear advice and ensuring complaints are dealt with in a proportionate way.

Josh is an active member of Gowling WLG's Pensions Regulatory Working Group and Pensions Technology Working Group, as well as the Association of Pension Lawyers.

Experience

• Josh acts for a Representative Beneficiary in intended Part 8 proceedings due to be brought by the Trustee of a pension scheme in relation to a change in the composition of the trustee board.
• Josh acts for the Trustee in potential rectification proceedings in relation to the rules of a pension scheme.
• Josh acts for the Trustee in intended Part 8 proceedings to determine whether the closure of its scheme was effective.
• Josh is advising a City Council on exit credits payable on the termination of a joint venture agreement.
• Josh acts for the London Borough of Croydon in proceedings seeking the recovery of funding contributions in its capacity as the administering authority of the London Borough of Croydon Pension Fund.
• Josh acted for the Trustee of the Mitchells & Butlers Pension Plan in proceedings seeking rectification of historic deeds purporting to grant the employer the power to change the rate by which pensions are increased and deferred pensions revalued under that scheme. He also acted for the Trustee in related Beddoe proceedings.