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Maria Riccio, Partner at Penningtons Manches

Profile

Maria is a consultant in our pensions team and joined Penningtons Manches Cooper in 2013. With over 20 years’ experience, she advises trustees, employers and intermediaries in relation to all aspects of UK pension arrangements. She is well known for her thorough but commercial approach and ability to look at a problem from every angle.

She has worked for many high profile companies and schemes. Her broad experience allows her to advise on complex legal issues, in particular relating to liability management, scheme changes, mergers, terminations and debt issues following corporate restructuring or insolvency. She has also been involved in high profile pensions litigation, most notably the leading equalisation case of Foster Wheeler Ltd v Hanley & Others.

Maria is a full member of the Association of Pension Lawyers and a regular speaker. She is also ranked as a 'notable practitioner' by Chambers UK and as a ‘leading individual’ in The Legal 500.

Recent work highlights

  • Advising the trustees of a multi-employer defined benefit scheme on the negotiation of a series of group company guarantees to support the funding and covenant.
  • Representing an overseas purchaser of the core business of a UK plc on covenant issues and Beckmann type liabilities.
  • Acting for a private sector purchaser of part of an NHS trust and successfully obtaining NHS pension scheme participation.
  • Conducting pensions due diligence for a global minerals provider on its acquisition of a company with a UK-based defined benefit scheme and advising it on merger proposals with its existing scheme.
  • Advising a defined benefit scheme sponsor on its scheme funding obligations following a dispute with the trustees over the status of the scheme, including holding discussions with the Pensions Regulator.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC311575 and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 419867.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP