James Keith
PartnerJames advises trustees, employers, public sector bodies and third sector organisations on all aspects of pensions law.
He helps clients navigate complex regulatory and governance requirements, manage risk, resolve pensions issues arising from corporate transactions, and implement practical solutions that support their long-term objectives.
He also advises family-owned businesses, entrepreneurs and investors on employee share schemes and incentive arrangements, helping organisations attract, retain and reward key talent while aligning commercial and employee interests.
Clients value James for his pragmatic, solution-focused approach and his ability to deliver clear, commercially focused advice on complex pensions and employee ownership matters.
James is recognised as a leading figure in the pensions sector. He is Secretary of the Main Committee of the Association of Pension Lawyers (APL), the principal representative body for pensions lawyers in the UK, and also serves on its Scottish and Public Sector Pensions Sub-Committees. He is a member of The Law Society of Scotland's Pension Law Sub-Committee and co-authored the Scottish section of Tolley's Pensions Law, a major UK legal textbook, with Martyn Shaw.
He is also a Director of MacRoberts Trustees Limited, which provides independent trustee services.
Recognised as one of Scotland's leading pensions lawyers, James is ranked Band 1 for Pensions in Chambers & Partners 2026 and is ranked as a Leader in the Field for Employee Share Schemes & Incentives in the 2026 edition of the Chambers UK Guide to the Legal Profession.
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Discretion for LGPS Funds on how to treat Exit Credits
Further to our update in May 2022, the Scottish Ministers have introduced additional changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme ("LGPS") through The Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (the "2025 Regulations").
