Travers Smith LLP is delighted to announce that its Pensions Sector team won two awards at the prestigious Professional Pensions UK Pensions Awards 2021: Pensions Lawyers of the Year, and Diversity & Inclusion Excellence.
These significant wins are further high-profile industry recognition for the team, adding to other notable award wins earlier this year - Pensions Law Firm of the year at the FT's Pension Expert Awards and the Diversity Award at the Pensions Age Awards.
Now in their 24th year, the UK Pensions Awards recognise the advisers, providers and investment managers that offer the highest level of innovation, performance and service to occupational pension schemes and their members, and have done the most to improve this over the past year.
The Pensions Lawyers of the Year Award recognises the best pensions lawyers in the UK. From a shortlist of 14 leading pensions law firms, Travers Smith's win reflects its continued success in advising clients on their most complex and high-profile pensions matters, including new endgame solutions and major insured de-risking transactions, plus employer covenant and restructuring, and sustainability, all against the backdrop of the global pandemic.
The award also reflects the innovations and approach we have built within our team, based on a strong culture of collaboration and 'giving back' to the wider pensions industry. We are proud that the judges recognised our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion (D&I), both within Travers Smith and across the pensions industry. The firm's Pensions Sector team has been at the forefront of developing and implementing new initiatives and programmes to promote D&I and has worked extensively alongside clients, industry groups including the Pension and Lifetime Savings Association and others in order to do so. We were also recognised for the active involvement of members of the Pensions Sector team in a wide range of high-profile industry bodies, including a number focused on GMP equalisation, and our regular work with these groups and others to share best practice.
The Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Award rewards firms that best promote diversity and inclusion within their own workforce as well as those who have contributed to industry-wide initiatives in this area. Travers Smith has won this award in three out of the four years since it was launched. Highlights of our work in this area include:
- Sponsoring and co-authoring, with the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association, the Diversity and Inclusion: Made Simple Guide, a first for the pensions industry and the PLSA’s most-downloaded guide last year.
- Partners Daniel Gerring and Andy Lewis being instrumental in founding O:pen, together with other leading individuals from across the industry. O:pen is the first cross-industry network for LGBTQ+ professionals and their allies in pensions.
- For a fifth consecutive year Daniel Gerring being ranked in OUTstanding's worldwide 100 LGBTQ+ Executives List, placed at number 14 on this prestigious list and the highest ranked private practice lawyer.
- Travers Smith securing 12th place in Stonewall's Top 100 Employers List in 2020 and for the first time being listed as a Top Trans Employer. We are one of the highest ranked employers in the pensions industry to be included in this much-coveted list.
- Developing an innovative mentoring scheme, which is delivered in partnership with LGBTQ+ charity Just Like Us (JLU), giving LGBTQ+ graduates skills, confidence and support as they transition from university life to employment. The firm supports JLU in a number of ways – including Pensions Partner Andy Lewis leading on pro bono legal support and Head of Pensions Daniel Gerring serving as Chair of JLU's board of trustees.
Partner and Head of Pensions Daniel Gerring commented: "I am thrilled that we have won Pensions Lawyers of the Year and, for the third time since the award launched, the Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Award at this year's UK Pensions Award. This success comes hot on the heels of us winning Pensions Law Firm of the year at the FT's Pension Expert Awards and the Diversity Award at the Pensions Age Awards over the summer and truly reflects the hard work and dedication of our Pensions team to continue providing an excellent service to clients over an exceptionally difficult period."
Managing Partner, Edmund Reed, commented: "Our Pensions Practice is a key component in our wider market leading asset management business and I am very proud of the team for winning these high-profile awards. It is a fitting testament to the hard work and commitment demonstrated by the whole Pensions team, especially over the last year. The team has been brilliant at not only advising their clients on numerous high-profile matters, but at the same time playing a leading role, both within the pensions industry and our firm, on diversity and inclusion matters."
