SPP Event: In conversation with The Pensions Ombudsman
Online
Thursday 22 October 2026
09:00-10:00
In conversation with the Pensions Ombudsman: how to up the pace of pension dispute resolution!
No pension scheme wants to feature on the Pensions Ombudsman’s website after having had a finding made against them. It’s costly, time consuming and reputationally questionable!
The Pensions Ombudsman’s “Lead Determinations” and “Significant Determinations” offer something rare: the opportunity to learn from issues that have already been tested by another scheme before they arrive on your desk! These Determinations act as a template which trustees and scheme members alike can follow to expedite the route to resolution.
These cases can help us spot trouble earlier, steer a swifter course to resolution and avoid a long costly voyage through the complaint and dispute resolution processes. That’s better for trustees and that’s also, importantly, better for scheme members.
In this session, Dominic Harris will bring you up to speed on the PO’s enhanced processes including recent Significant Determinations and explore how trustees, administrators, actuaries and consultants can use them to improve decision-making, strengthen member communications and get to the finish line far sooner!
Speakers
Dominic Harris,
The Pensions Ombudsman
Dominic is The Pensions Ombudsman and Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman. He was appointed by the Secretary of State with effect from 16 January 2023, for a term of five years.
As well as being the Ombudsman, as the Chief Executive of the organisation he is also a member of the Executive and the Corporate Board.
Dominic is a solicitor advocate, who has been specialising in pensions law for the past 22 years. He originally trained and qualified at Nabarro, before moving to CMS and becoming a partner in the pensions team in 2012.
He has experience acting for members, trustees and sponsors. Immediately prior to taking up his appointment, he was the Chair of the Association of Pension Lawyers’ Investment & Defined Contribution Committee. He holds an MBA from IMD Business School in Switzerland.
Claire Carey,
Partner, Sackers (Chair)
As head of the firm’s market-leading Know-how team, my role is to ensure that our lawyers and clients are kept up to speed with pensions developments as they happen. The Know-how team is a dedicated team of six lawyers responsible for in-house training and sharing knowledge. My pensions expertise covers a broad spectrum including trustee responsibilities, pensions implications of corporate activity, general legislative and compliance requirements, tax, automatic enrolment and case law.
I oversee our extensive internal training programme for lawyers and spearhead Sackers’ added value programme of alerts, briefings, hot topics and webinars. As a firm, we also respond to relevant government and regularly consultations. I also regularly speak at client events, including presenting our popular Quarterly Legal Update webinar.
Having served as the chair of the Association of Pension Lawyers between November 2021-November 2023, I have first-hand experience of lobbying the DWP and regulators to bring much needed clarity to key pensions areas. Conscious that the APL needs to be accessible to all members, during my two-year term, I was also instrumental in establishing a junior sub-committee and in making training sessions available as a livestream.
Countdown to the event
Day(s)
:
Hour(s)
:
Minute(s)
:
Second(s)