Faith Dickson

About

Faith has over 20 years’ experience advising pension trustees, employers and corporate investors on all aspects of their DB and DC pension arrangements including scheme change, funding issues and bulk transfers.

She has a particular interest in the sustainability of DB schemes, having lead the Sackers’ team advising the trustees of the Halcrow Pension Scheme on the first ever solvent restructuring of a DB scheme under the existing legislative and regulatory framework.

Faith is a client partner for a number of large DB schemes in the logistics, building services and media sectors. She also advises clients with significant DC arrangements, on benefit design, governance and communications.

As well as advising employers on stand-alone pensions projects, Faith is a member of the Sackers’ team which provides services to other law firms on transactions which need specialist pension input.

Faith also advises on the impact of discrimination law on pensions, on how to change pension terms and on the pensions implications of the Transfer of Undertakings Regulations.

Faith’s recent work includes:

• leading the team advising the trustees of the Halcrow Pension Scheme on the first ever solvent restructuring of a DB scheme
• advising on transferring benefits from DB, DC and hybrid schemes to new DC arrangements, including master trusts
• advising on the allocation of liabilities for calculating s75 debts
• advising on DC asset security.

Memberships and Qualifications

Membership of professional bodies:
Association of Pension Lawyers (Elected member of main committee)

Career history

Qualified: 1995, England & Wales

Pensions experience since: 1995

Joined Sackers: 1999

Joined partnership/LLP: 2003

Employers: Allen & Overy (1995-1997)
Ashurst Morris Crisp (1997-1998)
Theodore Goddard (1998-1999)

Academic history

University/College:

Pembroke College, University of Oxford (1987-1990)
Nottingham Polytechnic (1990-1992)

Degree: English Language and Literature

Further Information

Testimonials:

• “With Faith, there is an excellent level of service and knowledge of complex pensions issues.” – Chambers UK 2023
• “Faith is brilliant at law; she gets on really well with clients and she’s really commercial.” – Chambers UK 2023
• Faith Dickson is a highly experienced partner who is sought out by trustees and sponsoring employers. Her practice is broad and sees her advising on areas including bulk transfers and funding issues.  “She is extremely clear in her explanation of complex issues.” – Chambers UK 2022

Extracurricular interests and activities: 
Cycling, running and cross-country skiing, always outdoors. Bands, films and theatre, mainly (but not exclusively) indoors.