Simon Davies
Simon has considerable experience advising clients on all aspects of pensions law and related disputes.
In particular, Simon helps employers and trustees sort out legal problems which can arise during the day to day running of occupational pension schemes.
Simon's approach is to cut through the difficulties in this complex area by providing pragmatic yet robust advice and strategic solutions to help clients resolve disputes effectively and efficiently so as to manage and eliminate risk.
Simon has acted in numerous reported cases which have helped to develop current pensions law. He has considerable experience resolving rectification and construction issues and on administrative applications to Court for directions (and related compromises).
Simon also frequently acts for representatives of scheme members and in complex professional negligence claims. He also has in-depth experience of resolving member complaints through internal dispute resolution procedures and before the Pensions Ombudsman.
Simon has been listed in Chambers and Partners since 2016 as a notable practitioner and "Associate to Watch" for pensions litigation.
Clients say he is:
- "very good to work with, very responsive, very strong analytically and.. [doesn't] lose sight of the issues";
- "extremely personable, hard-working and commercially minded"";
- "really commercial" and "very good and efficient in his judgement".
Simon also provides advice to trustees and the Pension Protection Fund to help pension schemes move through the PPF assessment period process, following an employer insolvency and has a wide knowledge of resolving the multitude of issues that can arise.
Simon is an active member of the Association of Pensions Lawyers.
Experience
Simon has acted in a number of reported cases which have been of industry importance, including in cases on the validity of scheme documentation which was not properly witnessed (Briggs v Gleeds) and the compromise of equalisation claims (Archer v Travis Perkins Plc).
Simon has acted for the Trustee of the G4S Pension Scheme in proceedings seeking the Court's ruling on the interpretation of employer debt legislation and its application to a frozen pension scheme.
Simon has recently acted for the Trustee in Britvic PLC v Britvic Pensions Limited and Mohun concerning the interpretation of the Index in the scheme's rules. Simon is also currently assisting a household name on a proposed switch of the inflationary measure from RPI to CPI.
Simon has also acted in cases involving the rectification and construction of pensions scheme documentation including cases involving Pioneer, Austin Reed and MNOPF and, where appropriate, resolving matters by summary judgment to achieve expedited outcomes.