Carmel is a senior counsel in our Pensions Department. Carmel has experience of advising on all areas of pensions law, from the perspective of both trustees and sponsors.
Carmel's recent experience has involved complex funding negotiations, benefit rectification exercises, buy-in and buy-out transactions, the transfer of defined contribution (DC) benefits to master trust arrangements, and a number of international corporate transactions involving UK defined benefit schemes.
UK pensions
Carmel has experience of advising both trustee and sponsor clients on a range of matters, including in relation to scheme funding, liability management, scheme mergers, closure to future accrual, pension tax matters, the interpretation of scheme rules, scheme governance, and issues arising in connection with corporate transactions. She has advised on a number of member complaints and complex death benefits cases, several of which have involved the Pensions Ombudsman.
In relation to DC schemes, Carmel has been advising on transfers to master trusts, DC governance, default arrangements, and annual chair’s statements.
Industry experience
Carmel is a member of the Association of Pension Lawyers.
CSR and pro bono work
Carmel volunteers at a pro bono legal advice clinic in Bethnal Green and provided pro bono support to charity Just Like Us in relation to its GDPR compliance project. Carmel also participates in the Lawyers in Schools Scheme, which involves lawyers teaching secondary school students about a range of legal issues.