Francesca Parnell
Image of Francesca Parnell

Francesca Parnell

Counsel

Email

francesca.parnell@aoshearman.com

Phone

+44 20 3088 4456

Offices

London

V-CARD

Francesca advises employer and trustee clients on all aspects of pensions law. She has particular experience in bespoke funding and security arrangements, risk transfers and the management of complex transactions such as scheme mergers and scheme restructuring projects. 

Francesca works with clients across a range of sectors, with a particular focus on financial services clients. Francesca has worked on ring-fencing projects for a number of the largest UK banks and continues to advise these clients on a day-to-day basis on the full range of pension scheme matters. Francesca also regularly advises on liability management and risk transfer transactions across the market, including longevity swaps, buy-ins and buy-outs.

Francesca sits on the Investment and Defined Contribution Subcommittee of the Association of Pension Lawyers and is a founding member of the firm’s Gender Equality Network in London, supporting the firm’s wider inclusion initiatives.

Expertise

Experience

Representative matters

  • A global financial institution on the establishment of a GBP300m contingent funding arrangement for their UK pension scheme.
  • Two financial institutions and the trustee of a financial institution pension scheme on the design and implementation of proposals to comply with pensions aspects of UK bank ring-fencing legislation. 
  • The trustee of a pension scheme in the pharmaceuticals sector on the buy-in of the scheme.
  • A defence sector client on the closure of their defined benefit pension scheme, including implementation of a pensionable pay cap and work with the Ministry of Defence in relation to the changes.
  • Several large schemes (employer and trustees) on establishing and revising contingent asset arrangements which provide security for pension liabilities.

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, Association of Pension Lawyers Conference, 2021

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Member, Association of Pension Lawyers (APL)
  • Member, APL Investment and Defined Contribution Sub-Committee
  • Member, A&O Shearman’s Gender Equality Network, London

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 2012

Academic

LLB Law, Collage of Law, 2009
 
MA Modern Languages, Oxford University, 2007

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.