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The award was announced at a dinner in London hosted by radio 4 and five live sports journalist Garry Richardson and attended by leading names from the industry.

The citation recognised, amongst other things, the quality of PTLs service, its innovative approach and its growth.

Commenting, Richard Butcher, Managing Director of PTL, said ‘I’m really proud of our team and of the amount of time, work and energy that they have put into serving our clients and growing our business. The award is the icing on the cake. It’s recognition by a third party of many of the qualities that are central to our way of working. It’s these qualities, along with our pragmatic approach, that have led to our growth’.

Pitmans LLP shares common ownership with PTL. 

Leading law firm Pitmans has expanded its Pensions team with the appointment of Ben Blunsdon as Director.  Julian Richards, former Head of Pensions at union Amicus also joins the team following training and qualifying as a solicitor at Pitmans.

A graduate of Cambridge University, Ben completed the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law, York and trained and qualified at Rowe & Maw (now Mayer Brown).  He has spent the majority of his career at Wragge & Co LLP, based first in Birmingham and then in London. 

With over 13 years experience as a pensions lawyer, Ben advises trustees, employers and stakeholders on a wide range of pension issues.  Recent experience includes advising trustees on a multi-million pound buy-out of members’ benefits with an insurance company and on the impact on a scheme of a complicated restructuring of the sponsoring company involving the granting of additional security in favour of a group’s banks.  He has also advised both trustees and employers on changes to future  benefits including moving to career average revalued earnings (CARE) benefits.  Ben is primarily based at Pitman’s Reading office.

Formerly Head of Pensions at the union Amicus, Julian joined the Pensions team after training and qualifying at Pitmans.  He brings experience from both the employer and trustee perspective, having been manager of the Amicus staff pension schemes as well as trustee on a number of national industry-wide occupational schemes.

Based at Pitmans’ London office, Julian advises trustees and employers on a wide range of pensions issues, focusing particularly on scheme re-design and ensuring compliance with changing legislative requirements..  Julian has recently taken advantage of his experience of trade unions by advising one of Britain’s major unions on restructuring and de-risking its pension provision.

David Hosford, head of the Pitmans Pensions team said “We are delighted that both Ben and Julian have joined the Pitmans Pensions team.  The team has had a very successful year and continues to win a number of high profile new clients.  Julian and Ben’s addition to the team will help drive the team to further success.”

In the last year Pitmans pensions team has been appointed to provide legal advice to Alexander Forbes Trustee Services Limited, Sony Music Entertainment Limited, American Airlines, Harman UK, the Hall & Woodhouse Limited and Subsidiaries Retirement Benefits Plan, the Photo-Me International plc Pension and Life Assurance Scheme and Reading Transport.

Pitmans, a leading commercial law firm in the Thames Valley, has advised the Trustees of the British Salt Retirement Income & Retirement Plan, on the recent sale of Cheshire Salt Holdings Ltd (CSHL), the parent company of British Salt Limited to Brunner Mond, which is wholly owned by Tata Chemicals Ltd (TCL).  Parminder Latimer, Pensions Director at Pitmans, advised the Trustees of the pension scheme as part of the deal.

British Salt Trustee, Alan Gent commented:  “As Pitmans had advised the Trustees during the previous transaction, we had no hesitation in asking them for their support during the recent sale of British Salt.  They are very good communicators and dealt with all issues in a prompt and professional manner.”

Parminder Latimer at Pitmans said: “Having advised the Trustees in the previous transaction with LDC, Pitmans was delighted to be instructed once again by the Trustees of the pension scheme.  Many complicated issues arose including managing conflicts of interest however our relationship with the Trustees and familiarity of the business and the Scheme helped us negotiate and facilitate a deal between Brunner Mond and the Trustees which secures the future of the Scheme.”

British Salt was previously owned by LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group.  It is the UK’s leading manufacturer of pure dried vacuum salt products, producing approximately half of the UK’s pure salt used in applications ranging from food processing to chemicals production.

Brunner Mond is the UK’s only soda ash and sodium bicarbonate producer and one of Europe’s largest manufacturers in this field. It is wholly owned by Tata Chemicals Ltd (TCL) – one of the world’s largest and most geographically diversified chemicals groups with a worldwide reputation for innovation, quality of customer service and commitment to sustainability.
 
TCL is part of the Tata group of companies, which comprises over 90 operating companies in communications and information technology, engineering, materials, services, energy, consumer products and chemicals. The group has operations in more than 80 countries across six continents employing around 395,000 people worldwide, and its companies export products and services to 85 countries.

Parminder Latimer
Director
T: +44 (0)20 7634 4625
E: platimer@pitmans.com

Pitmans, the leading Thames Valley law firm with offices in London and Reading has strengthened its Dispute Resolution and Pensions teams with three new directorships announced.

Jonathan Durrant and William Richmond-Coggan joined Pitmans in 2005 and 2007 respectively, and have been promoted to Director within the Dispute Resolution team.  Richmond-Coggan is also a Solicitor Advocate.  Chris Netiatis joined Pitmans in 2006 and has been promoted to Director within the Pensions team.  Netiatis also heads up the firm’s Criminal Law service.

Managing Partner, Christopher Avery commented:
“Pitmans is a firm that refuses to stand still.  These promotions underline our commitment to our staff, our desire to recognise everyone’s contribution and reward it accordingly.

It is our intention to continue to build the firm through a combination of promotion from within and outside recruitment, to ensure that the firm has a good blend of knowledge, experience and business acumen to meet the demands of the modern commercial world.”