Duncan Watson

Duncan Watson advises pension funds, institutional investors, family offices and asset managers on investment management work, including all structures of investment funds, liability-driven investment mandates, custody, and stock lending. He works with Mayer Brown’s Derivatives, Tax, Financial Services Regulatory and Corporate teams in London and globally to deliver a full investment service to his clients. He also advises on transfer and sale of investments, and on TCFD and other ESG-related matters, including the preparation and submission of the TCFD Report for the Electricity Supply Pension Scheme (ESPS).

Duncan achieves his client’s goals partially by applying his previous experience in-house at a leading global investment bank where he worked in its asset management division and advised on segregated mandates, all aspects of funds, general commercial and regulatory issues, various wealth management matters, and the sale of wealth management business.

Clients served by Duncan include the trustees of the EDF, Johnson Matthey, and Prudential pension schemes, the trustee of the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund and the Scheme Trustee of the Electricity Supply Pension Scheme (ESPS).

• Listed as a Next Generation Partner, "Duncan Watson heads up the team that provides legal advice to our pension scheme. Duncan is engaged, very knowledgeable and always on hand to assist with any queries/work we may have. He is a valued extension to our team.” Legal 500.
  
• Consistently listed as a key lawyer for Pensions by Legal 500.
• "The team works well together to cover a variety of investment pensions issues. They are flexible in their approach and provide clear practical advice." "Duncan Watson is very professional, diligent and will use his knowledge to offer practical solutions to requests that best suit the needs of our pension scheme rather than offer a ‘standard’ approach. He is always approachable and is happy to chat through topics/issues rather than rely on email instruction." Legal 500
• "My key contact is Duncan Watson, who provides very clear communications on what’s required, issues solutions to enable us to manage a varying workload. He is always available to discuss any concerns and effectively manages difficult issues." "Duncan Watson understands our business, how we operate internally, our risk appetite and the need for pragmatic solutions." Legal 500
• "The pensions investment team lead by Edward Jewitt and supported by Duncan Watson deliver a high service level of detailed advice over a wide spectrum of asset classes and investment vehicles". "Duncan Watson has been key in dealing with more challenging issues on mandates as they arise. He has established good working relationships across the supplier/client base we have, which I believe are improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the work undertaken". Legal 500:Pensions
• "Counsel Duncan Watson has significant experience of pension fund investments". "The team compares favourably with its peers in the market, providing excellent legal expertise combined with extensive knowledge of the private funds market at a reasonable cost level." "Good funds lawyers – very responsive and technically astute." Legal 500: Private Funds
• "Duncan Watson pulls the stops out to complete instructions within even very tight deadlines. He looks at legal questions analytically without making assumptions and thereby achieves better outcomes". Legal 500

• University of Aberdeen, LLB (Hons)

• Scotland

• Association of Pension Lawyers Investment and Defined Contribution Committee
• Member of the Firm’s LGBT+ Steering Committee since joining in 2017, and was elected as its Co-Chair for 2018