Victoria Sander is a partner in the London office of Latham & Watkins. She has focused on the insurance sector for over 20 years and has been involved in some of the largest and most complex transactions in the insurance industry. She specializes in all types of corporate insurance transactional work including M&A deals, demutualizations, reinsurance, and distribution arrangements, as well as insurance advice in relation to structured products. Ms. Sander advises insurance companies and pension schemes in relation to a full range of buy-in, buy-out, and longevity risk transactions.

She is a member of the insurance committee of the City of London Law Society and the insurance sub-committee of the Financial Market Law Reform Committee, both of which aim to identify areas of law that are uncertain and need clarification.

Ms. Sander’s experience includes advising:

  • Rothesay Life Plc (Rothesay) on the landmark Court of Appeal decision overturning the High Court’s refusal to sanction the transfer of around 370,000 annuity policies (comprising total policyholder liabilities of approximately £11.2 billion) from The Prudential Assurance Company Limited (PAC) to Rothesay
  • Friends Life on its takeover by Aviva and the subsequent transfer of the insurance businesses of Friends Life Limited and Friends Life & Pensions Limited by way of Part VII Transfer*
  • Rothesay Life plc on the reinsurance and acquisition of £12 billion of non-profit annuities from Prudential Assurance Company Limited   
  • RSA on the sale of its Italian branch business to ITAS Mutua*
  • Royal London on the acquisition of the Co-operative Insurance Society and on the acquisition and transfer under the Friendly Societies Act of the Royal Liver Friendly Society*
  • HBOS on the acquisition of the infrastructure assets of the Equitable Life Assurance Society and the reinsurance of its unit linked and non-profit business and its involvement in the Company’s Act scheme of arrangement for the compromise of GAR liabilities*
  • Scottish Widows on its demutualization and acquisition by Lloyds Banking Group*
  • QBE on the acquisition of the renewal rights in respect of certain UK commercial lines of business from Brit Insurance*

Ms. Sander has been at the forefront of the developing pension and de-risking sector and has advised insurers, investment banks, and pension scheme trustees on all aspects of de-risking work. Her recent experience includes advising:

  • Just Group Plc, an insurance group specialising in annuity products, on the increase of its reinsurance coverage on tranches of existing and new business, and the expected implementation of a new mortality basis, in its longevity reinsurance arrangements with two reinsurers (SCOR SE and General Reinsurance).
  • The Trustees of MMC Pension scheme on the transfer of approximately £3 billion of longevity risk*
  • The Trustees of the Marks & Spencer Pension scheme on buy-ins totaling £1.5 billion with Aviva and Phoenix*

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

Bar Qualification

  • England and Wales (Solicitor)

Education

  • LPC (Distinction), College of Law, 1995
  • LLM (Hons), Cambridge University, 1994
  • Law, Cambridge University, 1993
    First Class

Languages Spoken

  • English