The Pensions and Lifetime Savings team at independent UK law firm Burges Salmon has reported exceptional growth, growing its practice by over 100% in three years and increasing its headcount by 50% in 18 months. This national expansion has been mirrored in Scotland, where the firm’s Edinburgh office continues to strengthen its presence in the pensions market.

Burges Salmon’s Scotland team has seen sustained growth, with four new team members joining over the last seven months. Late last year solicitors Charlotte Docherty and Megan Bruce joined the team, together with Jaimie Buchanan (who supports the Scotland and UK-wide wide team and their clients as a practice development lawyer). In January this year the team were delighted to welcome Teuta Jahdaut-Nerjovaj, an experienced Glasgow based associate, joining from Pinsent Masons. This reflects the firm’s ongoing investment in Scotland and the increasing demand for pensions expertise across the region. The new team members in Scotland join existing Edinburgh office-based director and lead pensions lawyer for Scotland, Helen Woodford, senior associate Kelly Beattie and associate Sarah Moody.

Now comprising 65 specialists – including over 50 lawyers, five trainees, an apprentice and two practice development lawyers – Burges Salmon’s non-contentious practice is one of the largest and most diverse in the UK, with lawyers qualified across all three UK jurisdictions and based in locations across the UK including London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham and Newcastle. The team is led by nine partners and six directors, reflecting sustained and increasing demand for complex pensions advice. With a separate team of Pensions Disputes specialists comprising two partners, two directors and five lawyers, Burges Salmon’s market-leading offering for pensions clients encompasses the full spectrum of legal services.

During the last 18 months, the firm has welcomed 22 new pension lawyers, strengthening its private and public sector pensions capability. This expansion has enabled the team to advise on some of the UK’s most significant and innovative transactions. Recent work includes acting for the Honda Group – UK Pension Scheme Trustee on its £800 million buy‑in, and advising on the landmark transfer of members to Clara‑Pensions, the UK’s only defined benefit ‘superfund’.

The team’s national client base has continued to grow, with over 50 new clients onboarded in the past year, including its appointment to advise the Pension Protection Fund. Its public sector pensions practice was bolstered further with the arrival of partner Gary Delderfield from Eversheds Sutherland in November and is now considered the leading practice in the country, acting for four of the eight LGPS investment pools and expanding further ahead of important LGPS reforms.

The firm’s commitment to responsible business has also been recognised externally, with the Pensions team winning the Impact on Climate Award at the PMI Pinnacle Awards, reflecting its support for clients navigating the transition to a low‑carbon economy.

Commenting on the past 18 months, Richard Knight, partner and head of Pensions at Burges Salmon, said: “The past 18 months have been a period of real momentum for our Pensions team, as we’ve invested in talented people across all levels to meet growing client demand. Our expansion reflects the trust clients place in us to deliver clear, practical advice on some of the most significant and complex matters in the market. With game-changing legal and regulatory reforms on the horizon, we’re ready to support trustees, employers and public bodies through this next phase of change.”

Burges Salmon’s continued investment in its Pensions team, including the ongoing growth of its Edinburgh office, underscores the firm’s long‑term commitment to providing high‑quality, commercially focused advice to trustees, employers, funds and public sector bodies across the UK.