Email Fiona | Download Fiona's vCard | LinkedIn

Fiona is a Partner in the firm's Business Department, having joined the firm in 2000. She heads up the firm's Pensions and Employee Benefits practice. In pensions matters she acts for and advises trustees, employers, regulatory bodies, pension providers and scheme members on a wide range of pensions matters. These include the establishment and merger of pension plans, corporate governance issues, transactional matters, regulatory compliance and dispute resolution. She advises on share plans and employee benefits trusts for public and private companies. Fiona began her career at KPMG as a tax specialist and then moved to another leading Dublin based law firm. There she practised as a tax lawyer and later specialised in pensions and employee benefits. Fiona is known for her pragmatic and thorough approach. She is easy to deal with and is adept at making this complex area seem relatively straightforward.

• Pensions law
• Employee benefits
• Pensions issues affecting public sector employers and trustees
• Corporate governance issues affecting share plans and pensions schemes
• Healthcare and life sciences

• Member of the Board of the Retirement Planning Council of Ireland
• Member of the Association of Pension Lawyers in Ireland
• Member of the Irish Taxation Institute
• Member of the International Pensions and Employee Benefits Lawyers Association
• Representative member of the Irish Association of Pension Funds
• Former Council Member of the Institute of Taxation in Ireland and the
  Association of Pension Lawyers in Ireland
• Author of the Irish chapter of Pension Scheme Deficits: Practical Solutions, published by Globe Law and Business, 2007
• Speaks at seminars and conferences related to the pensions industry
• Contributes to publications related to her practice areas

• "She is highly regarded in the market and is hailed by clients as 'consistently outstanding.'" Chambers Europe 2011.
  
  
• Ranked as a "Leading Individual" in pensions and employee benefits
  in Ireland, "the ‘businesslike’ Fiona Thornton leads a ‘first-class’ team at
  LK Shields Solicitors." The Legal 500, 2011 edition.
  
  
• Highly recommended for employment in Legal Experts Europe,
  Middle East & Africa 2011.
  
  
• Recommended for employee benefits and pensions in
  PLC's Labour and Employee Benefits: Which Lawyer? 2010 edition.
  
  
• Fiona Thornton is "singled out for her ‘pragmatic and commercial approach’."
  The Legal 500, 2010 edition.
  
  
• "Within the pensions area, sources are quick to endorse Fiona Thornton for her expertise." Chambers Europe 2010.
  
  
• Recommended for pensions by Chambers Europe in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
  
  
• Highly recommended for employment in European Legal Experts 2010.
  
  
• "Fiona Thornton heads the firm’s pensions and employee benefits group, and commands great respect within the industry." Chambers Europe 2009.
  
  
• Highly recommended for employee benefits and pensions by
  PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook in 2009 and 2008.
  
  
• "Praised for being 'very responsive' and 'excellent value for money'".
  The Legal 500, 2009 edition.
  
  
• Highly recommended for employment in European Legal Experts 2009.
  
  
• "Clients appreciate...[Fiona's] 'very good knowledge of the issues'".
  The Legal 500, 2008 edition.
  
  
• Highly recommended for employment in European Legal Experts 2008.
  
  
• Fiona is "personable, practical and meticulous", "much valued for her technical excellence in pensions and employee share schemes" and she "always comes up trumps and does a good job", as quoted in Chambers Europe 2008.
  
  
• Ranked as a highly recommended individual for labour and employee benefits in the PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
  
  
• Fiona is "highly regarded" according to the Legal 500 2005 edition and "highly rated" in the 2006 edition.
  
  
• European Legal Experts 2005 classes Fiona as highly recommended in the employment practice area.

• Associate of the Institute of Taxation, 1980
• Admitted as a Solicitor in Ireland, 1979
• LL.B, Dublin University, 1978
• B.A. (Mod) Legal Science, Dublin University, 1978