About Alison
Alison White has over 20 years’ experience advising trustees and sponsoring employers on a broad range of pensions issues relating to both defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) arrangements.
Alison has a particular interest in areas of crossover with employment law having originally qualified as a lawyer specialising in both disciplines, and has advised clients on issues including auto-enrolment, drafting contracts of employment and providing input on high-value settlement agreements.
Alison is also a highly experienced public speaker and has presented at Association of Pension Lawyers (APL) conferences and other industry seminars on a wide range of topical pensions issues.
Experience
Drafting updated scheme governing documentation for a complex, multisectional scheme with legacy benefits from wider industry arrangements.
Advising a client on bespoke, complex funding arrangements and an accompanying employer guarantee, as well as reviewing and renegotiating those arrangements on a triennial basis.
Advising clients on the return of surplus in both ongoing schemes and schemes in winding-up, including negotiating a detailed agreement with a sponsoring employer regarding the staged return of surplus and a concurrent benefit augmentation.
Advising trustees in relation to buy-in and buyout transactions, including producing detailed benefit specifications, reviewing insurance documentation and member communications.
Advising trustees on benefit change and restructuring exercises, including closures to accrual and other liability management options.
Advising trustees on general day-to-day compliance and governance, including dealing with member queries and complaints, data protection, general benefit queries and legislative changes.
Advising trustees on, and preparing schemes for, transfers to commercial arrangements, including DB superfunds and DC master trusts.
Credentials
Education
- Nottingham Law School, Legal Practice Course, 2003
- University of Cambridge, M.A., 2002
Admissions
- England and Wales, 2005
Memberships & Affiliations
Member, Association of Pension Lawyers
Member, North West committee of the Pensions Management Institute
Expertise
Services
- Pensions