Press Release

National law firm Shoosmiths has hired its first pensions partner in Birmingham to boost its national team.

Lynette Lewis has joined the firm as a partner from Eversheds Sutherland, and brings nine years’ experience as a pensions lawyer and a further 10 as a corporate lawyer.

Shoosmiths partner and head of pensions at Shoosmiths, David Thompson, said Lewis had first-rate experience of advising both corporate and pension trustee clients, and her recruitment would complement the firm’s pension offering.
“The Birmingham and wider Midlands pensions market is substantial. We have not previously had pensions lawyers based here, and very much look forward to working with Lynette who is a well-known go-to adviser in the region and beyond,” he added.

“It is part of the team’s strategic ambition to grow our capabilities in the Midlands and Lynette’s appointment will provide us with the opportunity to do so.”

Lynette added: “I’m delighted to be joining Shoosmiths and it is exciting to be the first pensions partner based in the Birmingham office. I look forward to making my mark in the national team and collaborating with David and other colleagues in the commercial practice group to grow the offering in the Midlands.”

Shoosmiths’ pensions team now has six partners and advises in relation to more than 200 occupational pension schemes, ranging from £1m to nearly £2bn in size. The team advises a broad variety of schemes, including defined benefit (both final salary and career average), defined contribution and hybrid schemes, acting for both trustees and sponsoring employers. The team acts on a wide range of projects, including scheme closures and mergers, liability management projects and dealing with The Pensions Regulator, in addition to providing day-to-day advice. The firm also has a specialist pensions disputes team.