Simon Davies Principal Associate

Simon Davies

Simon is a Principal Associate in the pensions team and provides advice to trustees and employers of occupational pension schemes. He has broad experience of advising clients on establishing, running, amending and winding up these schemes and the impact of corporate transactions upon them.

Simon also has extensive contentious experience and acts for employers, trustees and representative beneficiaries in a wide range of dispute related matters, including professional negligence, construction and rectification claims, directions applications, IDRP and Pensions Ombudsman complaints. Simon has acted in numerous cases which have helped to develop current pensions law.

Simon's approach is to cut through the difficulties of a complex area of law and deliver pragmatic yet robust advice and solutions to clients. Simon understands the need to keep on top of the law in this fast paced and technical area and regularly undertakes training and attends industry events to ensure his knowledge is up to date.

Simon is a full member of the Association of Pensions Lawyers (APL) and regularly speaks at external seminars (including to the APL) and delivers training to trustee and employer clients on topical issues.

Experience

• Acting for representative beneficiaries in rectification, construction and directions claims - Simon has acted for representatives of scheme members in a number of lead authorities that have helped develop this complex area of law. Simon is often selected because he has extensive experience in this area, is able to explain complex matters in a simple, pragmatic way and deal with the issues cost efficiently.
• Acting for employers and trustees - Simon has also acted for employers and trustees in proceedings brought to clarify complex pensions issues and also rectification claims. Most recently, Simon acted for a trustee of a pension scheme operated by a major employer who had brought proceedings to clarify the operation of employer debt legislation;
• Professional negligence claims - Simon frequently acts in complex negligence claims against pensions professionals (and also Beddoe applications). Most recently, Simon acted in a professional negligence claim against a third party adviser and which involved a number of defective scheme amendments.
• Advising clients on scheme closures, benefit re-design projects and liability management and de-risking exercises;
• Advising clients on aspects of dispute resolution including complaints under schemes' internal dispute resolution procedures, before the Pensions Ombudsman and professional negligence claims against third party advisers;
• Advising clients in relation to benefit errors and mistakes including recovery of overpayments and restoration of underpayments