Pensions Team expands with latest Partner appointment
8th September 2020
Walker Morris has made a major lateral hire with the appointment of Liz Graham as a Partner to its Pensions Team.
The announcement is the latest in a number of senior appointments to the Team in recent years – now comprising three Partners and two Directors.
Liz joins the team from Squire Patton Boggs, where she was Partner and head of the Leeds pensions team. Prior to this she headed up the team at North West firm Brabners, and has worked at a number of City and national firms.
Described as “highly regarded” according to the The Legal 500, Liz brings a wealth of experience to the firm, having acted for clients in both the public and private sectors for 25 years.
Liz has advised both employers and trustees on all types of pensions law, including scheme design, deficit funding issues, risk management, investment issues and scheme governance.
Recently, Liz guided a trustee client through the pensions law implications of an international takeover of the scheme’s sponsoring employer, advised in relation to the pooling of local government pension scheme investments and acted for the trustee of a complex multi-employer scheme in the charity sector.
Commenting on Liz’s appointment, Jo Ratcliffe, Head of the Pensions Group and Partner at Walker Morris, said:
“Liz’s appointment reinforces the significant strength in depth in our ever-growing Pensions Team. Over the past 12 months this senior team has been involved in funding interventions on three separate and high-profile clients, and our outstanding client list is expanding each year.
“By strengthening our expert team, especially with Liz’s vast experience advising on pension scheme matters and pensioner liabilities, ensures our ability to provide clients with the expert advice they require. This experience and capability of the team is a significant USP and is also reflected in the Team’s engagement with its wider network within the local and national market.”
Liz, newly appointed Partner, added:
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Walker Morris Pensions Team. The last two decades have resulted in huge changes for pension schemes, and pensions law has become a highly regulated and complex specialism. The pace of change looks set to continue and I’m looking forward to helping my clients navigate through the legal and technical complexities as smoothly and successfully as possible.”
“My prior experience heading up two successful pensions teams has taught me that delivering a quality legal service to clients is truly a team effort and I’m genuinely excited to be working with such a dynamic and experienced Team at Walker Morris.”
The experienced Pensions advisory and Pensions litigation teams at Walker Morris are fully integrated and committed to providing a seamless service to all clients, representing a number of blue-chip clients such as Capita, Toyota Materials Handling and University clients.
Liz’s appointment will see her join the all-female senior Pensions Team, headed by Jo Ratcliffe, and follows a successful year for the Walker Morris Pensions Team having won a number of new clients in the last 12 months.
