Texas › Professional, scientific and technical services › 1,000 to 4,999 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP Pension Plan
Sponsored by Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP, Houston, TX
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. Form 5500 contains no individual account balances. Look up the original filing at EFAST2.
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP Pension Plan is a defined benefit pension plan sponsored by Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP of Houston, Texas. For the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024 it reported 1,832 participants, 181 of them active, and net assets of $498M.
Net assets came to $271,608 per participant, well above the $87,935 median for defined benefit plans with 1,000 to 4,999 participants and well above the $176,808 median for defined benefit plans in professional, scientific and technical services. The figure is an average across everyone in the plan, including former employees with small balances; Form 5500 holds no individual account data.
Employer contributions were $8.8M for the year ($48,662 per active participant) and benefits paid were $46.7M. In a defined benefit plan the employer's contribution follows funding rules rather than a match formula, so it can swing widely from year to year.
Schedule C lists 11 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $2.8M: $1,519 per participant, well above the same-size median of $325. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $2.8M. Schedule C does not capture every cost: fees netted from fund returns and fees the employer pays directly are outside it.
Across the filings on record, net assets went from $422M in 2009 to $498M in 2024 (up 18%), and participants from 2,795 to 1,832 (down 34%).
The independent accountant's opinion on the financial statements was unmodified (unqualified), from an audit whose scope was limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C) to exclude investment information certified by a bank or insurer.
Compared with similar plans
| Measure | This plan | Same size | Same industry | All US DB plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $271,608 | $87,935 | $176,808 | $86,221 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $48,662 | $10,593 | $35,855 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $1,519 | $325 | $450 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.56% | 0.41% | 0.30% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $1,518 | $513 | $596 | $527 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined benefit plans with 100 or more participants: 1,000 to 4,999 participants (1,540 plans), professional, scientific and technical services (277) and all US plans (5,308). Fee medians cover plans that report an amount.
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Schedule C compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,832 | $498M | $271,609 | $8.8M | $0 | $2.8M |
| 2023 | 1,882 | $495M | $262,813 | $6.3M | — | $4.7M |
| 2022 | 2,526 | $562M | $222,659 | $314K | $0 | $3.6M |
| 2021 | 2,554 | $668M | $261,545 | $12.4M | — | $3.3M |
| 2020 | 2,573 | $635M | $246,904 | $194K | $0 | $2.8M |
| 2019 | 2,586 | $627M | $242,432 | $18.4M | $0 | $2.9M |
| 2018 | 2,609 | $562M | $215,516 | $5.0M | — | $2.9M |
| 2017 | 2,621 | $620M | $236,490 | $2.5M | $0 | $3.0M |
| 2016 | 2,648 | $585M | $220,852 | $11.9M | — | $3.1M |
| 2015 | 2,654 | $561M | $211,326 | $9.6M | — | $2.6M |
| 2014 | 2,659 | $583M | $219,158 | $4.7M | — | $2.9M |
| 2013 | 2,688 | $578M | $214,976 | $5.8M | — | $3.0M |
| 2012 | 2,700 | $536M | $198,405 | $6.6M | — | $2.8M |
| 2011 | 2,760 | $492M | $178,277 | $20.7M | — | $1.8M |
| 2010 | 2,784 | $447M | $160,619 | $0 | — | $1.8M |
| 2009 | 2,795 | $422M | $150,900 | $47.5M | — | $1.1M |
Years in which the plan filed the full Form 5500 with 100 or more participants, from 2009. Plan year is the year in which the plan year began.
Statement for the year
- Net assets, beginning of year$494,614,683
- Employer contributions$8,807,748
- Participant contributions$0
- Rollovers and other contributions$0
- Total contributions$8,807,748
- Total income, including investment results$52,433,473
- Benefits paid$46,681,321
- Administrative expenses$2,780,144
- Total expenses$49,461,465
- Net income$2,972,008
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$497,586,691
Participants
- Active participants181
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits1,173
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits375
- Participants with account balances0
- Total participants, end of year1,832
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. | Plan Administrator | $1,481,134 | $0 |
| Carlson Capital - Black Diamond PTN | Investment management | $221,235 | $0 |
| Silvercrest Asset MGNT Group | Investment management | $214,093 | $0 |
| Ernst and Young LLP | Account maintenance fees | $203,118 | $0 |
| Madison Investments Services | Investment management | $165,104 | $0 |
| Barrow Hanley | Investment management | $143,394 | $0 |
| Lazard Asset Management | Investment management | $139,680 | $0 |
| Principal Trust Company | Trustee (bank, trust company, or similar financial institution) | $91,688 | $0 |
| MPS Capital Advisors | Consulting fees | $65,000 | $0 |
| State Street | Investment management | $39,309 | $0 |
| Crowe LLP | Legal | $19,950 | $0 |
Schedule C, Part I line 2: providers that received $5,000 or more, with the form's own service codes. Individuals named on Schedule C (plan employees, individual trustees) are never shown and their compensation is excluded. Eligible indirect compensation disclosed by formula carries no dollar amount. See how to read Schedule C fees.
Administrative expenses on Schedule H
- Contract administrator fees$1,752,380
- Investment advisory and management fees$699,547
- Valuation and appraisal fees$221,235
- Trustee and custodial fees$60,000
- Other administrative expenses$27,032
- Legal fees$19,950
- Total administrative expenses$2,780,144
Investment structure
Assets at year end by Schedule H category. The form shows the kind of vehicle holding the money, not the funds on the menu.
- Registered investment companies (mutual funds)$187M · 37.6%
- Common/collective trusts$99.1M · 19.9%
- Corporate stocks$83.1M · 16.7%
- Other investments$46.1M · 9.3%
- U.S. Government securities$38.9M · 7.8%
- Corporate debt instruments$28.0M · 5.6%
- Cash (interest and non-interest bearing)$10.9M · 2.2%
- Receivables$4.7M · 0.9%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)Yes
- Accounting firmCrowe LLP
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $5,000,000
- Blackout period during the year—
These are the plan administrator's own answers on Schedule H, Part IV. A reported late transmittal is the filer's disclosure of a timing lapse, usually corrected through the Department of Labor's voluntary program; the amount is the total involved, not a loss.
Plan characteristics
1ABenefits are primarily pay related3BPlan covering self-employed individuals
Codes entered on Form 5500 line 8a, with the labels from the official instructions. Business code 541110: Offices of Lawyers.
Other plans of Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
| Plan | Participants | Net assets |
|---|---|---|
| Norton Rose Fulbright US L.L.P. 401(k) and Profit Sharing Plan | 2,911 | $1.07B |
| Chadbourne & Parke LLP Pension Plan and Trust Agreement | 495 | $17.6M |
Similar plans in Texas
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schlumberger Technology Corporation Pension Plan | Schlumberger Technology Corporation | 15,574 | $3.38B | $216,746 |
| Aecom Pension Plan | Aecom | 1,816 | $96.9M | $53,373 |
| American Bureau of Shipping Pension Plan | American Bureau of Shipping | 1,543 | $426M | $275,881 |
| Schlumberger Pension Plan for U.S. Taxpayers Employed Abroad | Schlumberger Technology Corporation | 1,234 | $223M | $180,881 |
| Vinson & Elkins LLP Pension Plan | Vinson & Elkins LLP | 800 | $89.6M | $112,043 |
| Durham Retirement Plan | Ratp Dev USA, Inc. | 406 | $20.6M | $50,806 |
Defined benefit plans in professional, scientific and technical services closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP Pension Plan?
1,832 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, of whom 181 were active employees, with net assets of $497,586,691. Among defined benefit plans that places it in the 1,000 to 4,999 participants band, which held 1,540 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP contribute per participant?
The filing reports $8,807,748 in employer contributions for the year, which is $48,662 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $10,593 in plan year 2024. Form 5500 reports the total only. It does not state the match formula, and the per-participant figure is an average, not any one person's contribution.
What fees does the plan pay and how do they compare?
Schedule C reports $2,783,705 in compensation to service provider organisations, $1,519 per participant or 0.56% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $325 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $2,780,144. Investment costs deducted inside mutual funds and other pooled vehicles are not itemised on Form 5500, so these figures are a floor rather than a full cost.
Who runs the plan?
The sponsor is Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP. Recordkeeping or administration: Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.. Investment advisory or management: Carlson Capital - Black Diamond PTN, Silvercrest Asset MGNT Group and Madison Investments Services. Trustee or custodian: Principal Trust Company. The financial statements were audited by Crowe LLP. Form 5500 also names the plan administrator's signer and other individuals; this site publishes organisations only.
Was the audit opinion unqualified?
The filing reports an unmodified (unqualified) opinion from a limited-scope audit, in which the accountant did not audit investment information certified by a bank or insurance company. Unmodified (formerly "unqualified") is the standard clean opinion.
How current is this, and does it show my balance?
This is the Form 5500 for the plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024, received by the Department of Labor on 9 Oct 2025. Filings are due seven months after the plan year ends, or nine and a half with an extension, so the public record always runs a year or more behind. It contains plan-level totals only: no individual balances, contributions or names of participants exist in the data.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files (Form 5500, Schedule H, Schedule C) for plan years 2009 to 2025, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. This page shows the latest filing on record for EIN 74-1201087, plan 003, received 9 Oct 2025; an amended filing replaces it at the next build. Medians and percentiles are computed by this site; see the methodology. Report an error through corrections.