Gemma Willingham
Biography
Gemma is a partner and solicitor advocate in Baker McKenzie’s market-leading Private Wealth Litigation group in London. She specialises in international contentious trust and succession disputes, high-value family disputes and commercial litigation. With a global perspective and particular expertise in offshore jurisdictions, she advises high net worth individuals, trustees, executors, protectors, beneficiaries and interested third parties on resolving pivotal disputes. Gemma brings clarity, strategic insight and deep technical expertise to every matter, underpinned by sensitivity to reputational risk.
Gemma is recognised as a Band 1 practitioner in Chambers for Private Wealth Disputes, which emphasises she is “an amazing operator” with an “encyclopaedic knowledge of cases with hugely complex and enormous detail” as well as highlighting her “negotiation skills and ability to quickly find solutions to very complex problems” with a client adding “she is one of the best partners I have come across.” Legal 500 notes that she is “an exceptional partner who has the complete trust and confidence of her team.”
Legal 500 also emphasises of the team that “market-leading reputation aside, what makes this team stand out from its competitors is the quality of its members. Without exception, they are exceptional - clever, responsive and engaging. They all really support each other.” Most recently, Gemma co-led the team with Anthony Poulton to win Contentious Trusts & Estates Team of the Year at the Chambers’ High Net Worth Awards 2025 and the Law Firm of the Year – London Award at Citywealth Awards 2025. In 2024, Gemma was part of the year awarded Step’s International Legal Team of the Year.
Practice Focus
Gemma is highly regarded for her deep expertise in risk management across wealth-related disputes. She advises clients on complex issues involving corporate and family governance, and is trusted for her strategic approach to resolving sensitive private family disputes. She has significant experience litigating in both English and international courts, including those in Jersey, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Gibraltar. Gemma has also advised clients in many successful settlement negotiations and mediations.
Beyond her private wealth expertise, Gemma frequently represents clients in broader commercial litigation and specialist pensions litigation.
Representative Legal Matters
Gemma has over 15 years of experience of managing large scale litigation before various courts (first instance and appeal; in England & Wales and offshore). In these cases, she has advised on numerous aspects of trust and succession disputes, including:
- ADR and Mediation
- Acting for professional trustees in connection with
- Validity issues
- Disputes with beneficiaries
- Investment disputes
- Valuation issues
- Asset restructuring
- Tax enquiries
- Family governance
- Corporate governance disputes.
- Advising on mental capacity issues affecting family members and office holders
- Trustee and Protector removal applications
- Trust document disclosure and rights of beneficiaries to access information
- Fraud
- Trust “busting” and validity challenges
- Sham Trusts
- Undue Influence
- Insolvency disputes
- Mistake and rectification claims
- Rescission of trusts, based on mistake
- Challenges to Purpose Trusts
- Probate disputes, including challenges to Wills and issues arising from the appointment by the English Court of a Deputy to manage the financial and property affairs of a UK resident, non-domiciled spouse suffering from Alzheimer’s
- The defence of trust assets in the context of divorce proceedings
Professional Associations and Memberships
- STEP - Member
- ConTrA - Member
- Association of Contentious Trusts and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) - Member
- Solicitor-Advocate (All Higher Courts) in England and Wales
Admissions
- England & Wales~United Kingdom (2008)
- Solicitor-Advocate (All Higher Courts) in England & Wales
Education
- Nottingham Law School (LPC, Distinction) (2006)
- Cambridge University (LLM, First Class Honours, Law) (2005)
Languages
- English