Bernadette Baker
Bernadette Baker is a Partner and Head of the firm’s Private Client Division.
She is a specialist in private wealth disputes with extensive experience advising individuals, families, trustees and charities on complex and often sensitive contentious trusts and estates matters. She is recognised by both Chambers High Net Worth and Legal 500 for her expertise.
Bernadette’s practice spans will validity challenges, Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 claims, trust disputes, breach of trust matters, professional negligence claims arising from estate and trust administration, and multi‑jurisdictional estate litigation. She is frequently instructed on high‑value and complex matters, including those involving intricate family dynamics or international elements.
With deep experience acting for executors, trustees, beneficiaries and dependants, Bernadette is known for her ability to navigate highly contentious situations with clarity, precision and strategic focus. She is often appointed as an Independent Administrator in estates requiring neutral oversight, and regularly advises on applications to remove or replace personal representatives or trustees, disclosure issues, and the management of contentious estate administration. Her practice also covers disputes relating to funeral and burial arrangements.
Bernadette is a full member of ACTAPS and an active member of the Contentious Trusts Association (ConTrA). She regularly contributes to industry events, speaks at professional conferences, and engages with external organisations on developments in private wealth litigation. Bernadette frequently collaborates with peers across the sector, sharing insight on complex contentious trusts and estates issues and promoting best practice in dispute resolution.
Recent work highlights
Acting for the four biological children of the deceased in Leonard v Leonard [2024] EWHC 321 (ChD), a significant High Court claim concerning the validity of a will. The case succeeded on the grounds of lack of testamentary capacity and lack of knowledge and approval, resulting in the earlier will being pronounced instead. The matter is an important example of the Court’s approach to complex medical evidence, disputed family dynamics and cross‑border estate administration, involving assets in multiple jurisdictions.
Advising trustees in a high‑value, multi‑party trust dispute involving allegations of breach of trust, historic distribution issues and contested disclosure requests, including navigating competing beneficiary interests in different jurisdictions and coordinating a strategy to progress the matter efficiently.
Representing executors in a complex estate dispute concerning claims of undue influence and lack of capacity, involving the instruction and management of expert evidence and leading negotiations that resulted in a structured resolution without the need for trial.
Experience & education
2004 – Present Birketts LLP
2004 Qualified as a Solicitor
2002 – 2004 Eversheds LLP
2001 – 2002 Nottingham Trent University LPC
1997 – 2001 University of Warwick BA (Hons)
Bernadette Baker gives clear and straightforward advice about the risks involved with litigation and solutions to problems. Bernadette does not waste time going round in circles as I have noted other lawyers have a tendency to do
Legal 500 [UK 2026]
Insights
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Identifying conflicting roles in estate administrationlegal updateIdentifying conflicting roles in estate administration
Bernadette Baker, Jenny Howe12 Jun 2022 -
Larry King’s widow contests handwritten Will which leaves $2m estate to his childrenlegal updateLarry King’s widow contests handwritten Will which leaves $2m estate to his children
Bernadette Baker23 Feb 2021
