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Chris is an experienced pensions lawyer, dual-qualified in both England & Wales and Northern Ireland, advising employers and trustees throughout the UK.
Chris is our lead client relationship partner on the Government Legal Department’s pensions panel, advising a variety of central government departments on a wide range of complex pensions issues. He also advises both employer and trustees clients in the private sector, particularly the pensions aspects of employee transfers and on pension scheme funding issues. He also advises on pensions governance and investment matters, as well as dispute resolution cases (including Pensions Ombudsman referrals).
He is independently recognised as an expert in pensions law, ranked as a Band 2 pensions partner and a Next Generation Partner in the 2025 editions of Chambers UK and The Legal 500 respectively.
Chris is dual-qualified in England and Wales and Northern Ireland. He is also a full member of the Association of Pension Lawyers and a member (and former chair) of its South West committee.
Jurisdiction: England & Wales, Northern Ireland
Experience
- Lead legal adviser to a wide range of trust-based occupational defined benefit pension schemes, with scheme size ranging from £5m to over £1.5bn. He has vast experience advising trustees and employers of such schemes on all aspects of pensions law, including governance, benefit changes, disputes, GMP equalisation and compliance with regulatory processes.
- Advising a major UK police authority on all aspects of its pension arrangements, including advising on the implementation of remediable action following the McCloud judgment.
- Advising XPS Pensions Group on the pensions legal and regulatory aspects of its disposal of its master-trust business to SEI, including securing the approval of the Pensions Regulator.
- Delivering training to employer and trustee clients on a range of topics, including public sector pension matters, cyber security and compliance with legislative changes.
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“Chris Crighton is knowledgeable, excellent communicator and exhibits a deep memory of the history of the Scheme that he advises. He attends all meetings and is a comforting presence for all trustees.”
Legal 500 UK 2026
“Chris Crighton is great - very pragmatic, doesn't sit on the fence, and clear and concise.”
Legal 500 UK 2026
“Chris is an excellent pension lawyer and exhibits a firm grasp of the law.”
Chambers UK 2026
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