Freya McKechnie
Biography
Freya is a litigator with a focus on private wealth disputes and commercial litigation. She is a senior associate in Baker McKenzie's dispute resolution team in London and a member of the Firm's market-leading private wealth and trusts disputes group. Freya is experienced in high-stakes and complex litigation, as well as achieving results for clients through alternative dispute resolution processes.
Prior to joining Baker McKenzie, Freya was a senior associate in the London office of a US litigation firm. She also previously practised in New Zealand, at a leading litigation firm and a boutique firm specialising in private client disputes. Freya has appeared as sole or junior counsel at various levels of the New Zealand court system and has represented clients at mediations and settlement conferences.
Practice Focus
Freya has broad experience across commercial/civil litigation and contentious private wealth matters, including contractual disputes, shareholder derivative claims, trust and estate disputes, claims in equity, and media and art law matters. She is adept in dealing with a wide range of clients, including large multinational companies, publicly listed and private companies, government entities, trustees, charities and high-net-worth individuals.
Representative Legal Matters
The following matters are examples of Freya's experience (including at previous firms):
-
Part of the team representing an ultra-high-net-worth individual in a multibillion-dollar trust dispute.
-
Acting for an ultra-high-net-worth individual in English and offshore proceedings arising out of investments in commercial property developments.
-
Acting for the purchaser of a company in a post-M&A dispute regarding an earnout clause in the share purchase agreement.
-
Part of the team that secured a landmark victory for the claimant in a case featured in The Lawyer's Top 20 Cases of 2024, which involved breaches of a software licensing agreement through reverse engineering of proprietary mainframe technology.
-
Acting for the New Zealand subsidiaries of a large multinational company in claims against its former executives and auditors relating to significant accounting irregularities.
-
Defending New Zealand High Court class action proceedings on behalf of the Crown, involving issues of breach of contract and equitable estoppel.
-
Advising a major real estate services firm in a dispute over a commercial property transaction, relating to alleged misrepresentation and breach of warranties.
-
Various media and art law matters, including assisting with defamation proceedings and advising on a copyright dispute between artists.
-
Acting for beneficiary of an estate in successfully defending claims for further provision, equitable contribution and unjust enrichment.
-
Acting for trustees in litigation relating to alleged breaches of trustee duties, including successful appeal against summary judgment declaring deed of variation of trust invalid and application for directions in relation to trust property.
-
Advising trustees of a charitable trust in relation to governance and contentious trust/estate matters.
-
Various matters advising high-net-worth individuals on contentious trust, estate and relationship property (divorce) claims relating to assets across multiple jurisdictions.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- New Zealand Law Society
- Art Lawyers Association (Associate Member)
- Contentious Trusts Association (ConTrA)
Admissions
- High Court of New Zealand (2018)
Education
- Victoria University of Wellington (Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Arts in Art History)