Image of  Isabel France

Isabel France

Consultant

Isabel has over 20 years of experience in advising companies, trustees and pension providers on all aspects of pensions law.
She has particular experience in managing complex transactions such as pension scheme mergers, bespoke pension funding and security arrangements and implementation of GMP equalisation as well as revising pension scheme documentation and advising on disputes.

Expertise

Experience

Representative matters

  • A financial institution on establishing a £500m contingent funding arrangement for their UK pension scheme.
  • A financial institution on putting in place arrangements to support their Irish pension schemes.
  • The trustee of several large pension schemes on the implementation of GMP equalisation.
  • A financial institution on implementing proposals to comply with pensions aspects of “ringfencing” legislation.
  • A financial institution on merging their offshore pension arrangements.
  • A financial institution on revising and updating the governing documentation of their UK and offshore pension arrangements.
  • A financial institution on managing issues arising from a change to the way pension increases are awarded to some members of their UK pension arrangement. 
  • The trustee of several large pension schemes on managing complaints raised by pension scheme members.
  • The trustee of various large pension schemes on revising contingent asset arrangements which provide security for pension liabilities.
  • The trustee of the pension scheme of a financial institution on the impact of changes to minimum retirement age for their members.
  • Relevant previous firm experience advising both corporates and trustees on bespoke funding and security arrangements, including advising the trustee of a major retailer's Pension Scheme on an early example of an asset backed funding arrangement. 
  • Allen & Overy and relevant previous firm experience in relation to risk transfer transactions, including advising on the first “non-intermediated” insured longevity swap.
  • Relevant previous firm experience advising both trustees and corporates on implementing changes to pension arrangements, including changing the benefits, closing schemes to future accrual, merging schemes and winding up arrangements. 

Relevant previous firm experience, including:

  • The trustee of a £2bn+ defined benefit scheme on the IPO of its sponsoring employer, the acquisition of the sponsoring employer and several refinancings.
  • The trustees of various large pension schemes on liability driven investment strategy, one of the first large-scale strategies adopted by a UK pension scheme.
  • The trustee of a scheme for charitable and other employers on various matters including an innovative structure for managing changes of employers across their arrangements.
  • A financial institution on introducing a choice of normal retirement age for members of their UK defined benefit arrangements.
  • Various sponsors and trustees on introducing a contractual pensionable salary cap under their UK defined benefit pension schemes and establishing new defined contribution pension arrangements.

Pro bono

  • Participating in letter exchanges with primary school children to assist in developing their reading and writing skills.
  • Participating in mock interviews for women looking to return to the workplace.

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Member of the Association of Pension Lawyers

Qualifications

Admissions

Solicitor, England and Wales, 1998

Academic

M.A, Litterae Humaniores, Oxford, 1994

Common Professional Examination, College of Law, 1995

Legal Practice Course, College of Law, 1996

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.