Paul Lawrence

Senior Counsel

About

Paul advises employers and trustees on all aspects of UK pensions law. Paul has particular and significant experience of advising clients on the pensions aspects of complex corporate, finance and restructuring transactions.

Paul has extensive experience advising private equity funds, hedge funds, investors, lenders, and insurers on UK pensions law in the context of corporate M&A activity, financings and re-financings, restructurings, and pension insurance and risk transfer transactions.

Other regular work includes advising scheme sponsors and trustees on major pension projects including closure to future benefit accrual, benefit change and harmonisation exercises and transfers to Master Trust arrangements.

Experience

  • Advising Legal & General on its c.£1.6bn buy-in with the trustees of the BP Pension Fund.
  • Advising Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. on the pensions aspects of its pending $8.3bn acquisition by The Boeing Company.
  • Advising various private equity (US and Middle East based) clients on a number of successful multi-billion pound take private acquisitions of previously UK listed companies in various sectors including waste disposal and aviation services.
  • Advising a leading US based global domestic appliance business on its European strategic joint-venture with a European based competitor as part of a portfolio transformation.
  • Advising a UK plc client, operating in the vehicle parts manufacturing industry, on its multi billion-pound acquisition by a trade buyer.
Paul is excellent to work with. He delivers a high level of service and has a strong understanding of both the dynamics of the situation and the commercial realities of the project we are working on.

Chambers UK 2025

Paul is an extremely commercial pension adviser who focuses on ensuring clients achieve the optimal financial outcome while managing their pension risks.

Chambers UK 2025

Case studies