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Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 1926 - 2022

Portrait of Gemma Kemp
Areas of expertise: Family law

Profile

A senior associate in the Guildford family team, Gemma specialises in a wide range of family law matters including marital agreements (also known as pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements), divorce, separation, and nullity. She has comprehensive experience of advising on the financial issues which arise from the breakdown of a relationship. Gemma also offers assistance to unmarried couples, regarding both cohabitation contracts, and financial proceedings when a relationship ends.

She is experienced in matters involving disputes about arrangements for children, and is committed to finding a solution which is in the best interests of the children, and the family as a whole. Her previous work includes cases with an international element, those involving domestic abuse (including emotional abuse, financial abuse and coercive control) and allegations of parental alienation. Gemma’s expertise extends to matters where a parent wishes to relocate with the children. She acts for a variety of individuals including parents, stepparents and grandparents. Gemma also advises on surrogacy matters, in relation to both domestic and international surrogacy arrangements.

Gemma became a chartered legal executive in 2009 and continued her studies to qualify as a solicitor. As a member of Resolution, she advocates a compassionate and constructive approach to family law matters, taking into consideration the needs of the family as a whole.   

Recent work highlights

  • Advising a wife whose husband had moved significant sums of money abroad so that she could not access them (which he denied). The court concluded that the husband had been dishonest within the proceedings and the wife was awarded a significant proportion of the assets.
  • Acting for a father whose former wife moved 500 miles away with their child, without the father’s knowledge or consent. Urgent applications were filed to the court, and the child was successfully returned within 48 hours, with a subsequent order made for the child to reside with the father.
  • Advising and assisting a parent who wished to move to Spain with the children. Following a collaborative approach to the matter, the parents were able to reach an agreement which worked for them both, as well as for the children.
  • Assisting in the coordination of uniting intended parents in the UK with their surrogate child, who was born in the USA during the global health pandemic, and thereafter successfully obtaining a parental order in their favour.
  • Advising a husband who wanted to retain his inherited assets and ensure his wife did not benefit from them upon divorce, amid hostile communications between the two. Following a day of constructive conversations and negotiations, a compromise was reached without the need for the parties to attend court.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC311575 and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 419867.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP