Principal associate - Pensions Lawyer
A leading international law firm is seeking a Senior Associate or Principal Associate to join its highly regarded Pensions team in London. This is an opportunity to join one of the largest dedicated pensions practices globally, advising on cutting-edge developments across the pensions landscape.
The Role
You will advise on a broad range of matters affecting Defined Benefit (DB) and Defined Contribution (DC) occupational pension schemes, acting for trustees, employers, providers and other stakeholders.
The work is varied, strategic and often high-profile. You can expect to be involved in:
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Advisory work for large occupational pension schemes and corporate sponsors
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De-risking projects including buy-ins, buy-outs and longevity swaps
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Investment-related matters
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DB consolidators and scheme restructuring
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DC master trust arrangements
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Pensions disputes and litigation
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Regulatory and governance matters
The team operates at the forefront of pensions law and policy and is closely involved with industry bodies and policy development. As such, you will gain exposure to market-leading and technically complex work.
You will also play an active role in supporting and mentoring junior lawyers and contributing to the continued growth of the practice. Applications are welcomed from those currently in private practice or from lawyers working in-house who wish to return to private practice.
Candidate Profile
To be considered, you should:
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Be a qualified solicitor with approximately 4–7 years’ PQE in pensions law
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Have strong experience advising on Defined Benefit schemes, with some exposure to Defined Contribution schemes desirable
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Demonstrate strong technical ability combined with commercial awareness
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Be confident managing client relationships and delivering pragmatic advice
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Possess strong communication and influencing skills
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Be able to manage matters independently while working effectively within a collaborative team
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Be comfortable supervising junior lawyers and delegating appropriately
This role would suit an ambitious pensions lawyer looking to work on high-profile matters within a large, market-leading and forward-thinking team.
Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates
About the job
Contract Type: Permanent
Specialism: Legal
Focus: Employment
Industry: Legal
Salary: £140,000 - £170,000 per annum
Workplace Type: Hybrid
Experience Level: Senior Management
Location: London
FULL_TIMEJob Reference: TQVAL1-2146BBAB
Date posted: 11 February 2026
Consultant: Tom Kearney
london legal/employment 2026-02-11 2026-04-12 legal London London GB GBP 140000 170000 170000 YEAR Robert Walters https://www.robertwalters.co.uk https://www.robertwalters.co.uk/content/dam/robert-walters/global/images/logos/web-logos/square-logo.png true