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We are a team of more than 500 professionals, with the depth of experience which makes us genuine experts in our fields. Together, gunnercooke’s people have strength across just about every corporate discipline and sector. We provide legal, commercial and strategic advice that delivers real value to the clients we work with, which span from multinational enterprises through to unicorns and non-for-profit organisations. Our breadth of expertise covers some of the most interesting and important emerging disciplines, from ESG and charity law, to blockchain and competition.
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The gunnercooke group has 15 main global offices across England, Scotland, the US, Germany and Austria, with further plans for growth in the coming years. These offices enhance the existing in-house capability of our dedicated international teams and dual-qualified experts that cover Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, China, India, Poland and Hungary. Our team have clients across 123 jurisdictions, speak 46 languages and are dual-qualified in 21 jurisdictions. Our expertise means we can offer large teams to carry out complex cross-border matters for major international clients.
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gunnercooke is the fastest growing corporate law firm in the UK, now making its mark globally. We comprise a rapidly growing number of experts spanning legal and other disciplines. Clients benefit from flexible options on fees to suit their needs, access to a wider network of senior experts throughout the relationship, and legal advice which is complemented by an understanding of the commercial aspects of running a business.
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Kirpal Bidmead
Expertise
Kirpal is a Family Law Partner with over 25 years of experience, specialising in wealth preservation.
She takes a strategic approach, working with married and unmarried clients, both in the UK and overseas, including China, Hong Kong, the UAE, and Europe. Kirpal specialises in complex financial arrangements including family businesses, farms, private company shareholding issues, partnerships, and pension disputes.
She advises in high and medium net worth cases, relating to marital property and inherited assets, divorce, judicial separation, dissolution, and cohabitation. Kirpal also acts on behalf of interveners.
Kirpal has considerable experience in negotiating and drafting cohabitation, separation, and pre and post-nuptial agreements.
She is a skilled negotiator and always willing to go the extra mile for her clients. Kirpal has a talent for forensically analysing accounts and financial statements, locating assets that have not been voluntarily disclosed, including properties, bank accounts, trusts, and on one memorable occasion, a racehorse.
Her work also includes advising on children’s arrangements, covering private children matters such as leave to remove, residence, contact, prohibited steps, and specific issues.
Since 2016, Kirpal has been ranked as a Notable Practitioner in Chambers UK and recognised as a ‘Leader’ in her field. She is also the only Family Lawyer in the East Midlands to have been recommended in Spears 500.
Kirpal is also a member of Resolution, an organisation that promotes a constructive and non-confrontational approach to family law matters. She is an accredited specialist in her chosen subjects: Advanced Financial Provision and Advocacy.
Kirpal is a highly experienced solicitor, known for being robust, strategic, proactive, and pragmatic.
Kirpal Advises
- Medium to high net worth individuals
- High-profile clients and those in the public eye, including
Experience Highlights
- Acting for a well-known actor, several professional sportspeople, and the wife of a former MP
- Successfully resolving a dispute with assets of circa £14m, to include various business interests and property portfolios, both in the UK and overseas.
- Negotiating a pre-nuptial agreement to protect a client’s international business assets with a value of over £10m
Career History
Previous Law Firms
- Director of Legal Services at Derbyshire County Cricket Club (2017–Present)
- Head of Family Law & Matrimonial, Flint Bishop LLP (2012–21)
- Associate Solicitor, John Hooper & Co (2004–12)
- Assistant Solicitor, Harvey Ingram LLP (now Shakespeare Martineau LLP) (2000–04)
- Assistant Solicitor, Copleys (1997–2000)
Memberships
- Accredited Member of Resolution: Advanced Financial Provision and Advocacy
Other
-
- Since 2017, Kirpal has been Derbyshire County Cricket Club’s Supervisory Board’s Legal Services Director. She seeks to engage and inspire the Club’s members and generally promote cricket within a diverse environment.
- Kirpal is also a member of the Club’s Governance Committee and is determined to ensure the highest standards of corporate governance.
- Kirpal was personally sought out and interviewed by Richard Ford, Home Correspondent for The Times for an article discussing divorce. Article
- Kirpal has developed a relationship with Nottingham Academy’s Sixth Form (once Europe’s largest school) and has taken part in mock interviews to prepare students for university interviews. She is keen to help students who may be the first in their family to apply to university.
Expertise
Back to top
Kirpal is a Family Law Partner with over 25 years of experience, specialising in wealth preservation.
She takes a strategic approach, working with married and unmarried clients, both in the UK and overseas, including China, Hong Kong, the UAE, and Europe. Kirpal specialises in complex financial arrangements including family businesses, farms, private company shareholding issues, partnerships, and pension disputes.
She advises in high and medium net worth cases, relating to marital property and inherited assets, divorce, judicial separation, dissolution, and cohabitation. Kirpal also acts on behalf of interveners.
Kirpal has considerable experience in negotiating and drafting cohabitation, separation, and pre and post-nuptial agreements.
She is a skilled negotiator and always willing to go the extra mile for her clients. Kirpal has a talent for forensically analysing accounts and financial statements, locating assets that have not been voluntarily disclosed, including properties, bank accounts, trusts, and on one memorable occasion, a racehorse.
Her work also includes advising on children’s arrangements, covering private children matters such as leave to remove, residence, contact, prohibited steps, and specific issues.
Since 2016, Kirpal has been ranked as a Notable Practitioner in Chambers UK and recognised as a ‘Leader’ in her field. She is also the only Family Lawyer in the East Midlands to have been recommended in Spears 500.
Kirpal is also a member of Resolution, an organisation that promotes a constructive and non-confrontational approach to family law matters. She is an accredited specialist in her chosen subjects: Advanced Financial Provision and Advocacy.
Kirpal is a highly experienced solicitor, known for being robust, strategic, proactive, and pragmatic.
Kirpal Advises
Back to top
- Medium to high net worth individuals
- High-profile clients and those in the public eye, including
Experience Highlights
Back to top
- Acting for a well-known actor, several professional sportspeople, and the wife of a former MP
- Successfully resolving a dispute with assets of circa £14m, to include various business interests and property portfolios, both in the UK and overseas.
- Negotiating a pre-nuptial agreement to protect a client’s international business assets with a value of over £10m
Career History
Back to top
Previous Law Firms
- Director of Legal Services at Derbyshire County Cricket Club (2017–Present)
- Head of Family Law & Matrimonial, Flint Bishop LLP (2012–21)
- Associate Solicitor, John Hooper & Co (2004–12)
- Assistant Solicitor, Harvey Ingram LLP (now Shakespeare Martineau LLP) (2000–04)
- Assistant Solicitor, Copleys (1997–2000)
Memberships
- Accredited Member of Resolution: Advanced Financial Provision and Advocacy
Other
-
- Since 2017, Kirpal has been Derbyshire County Cricket Club’s Supervisory Board’s Legal Services Director. She seeks to engage and inspire the Club’s members and generally promote cricket within a diverse environment.
- Kirpal is also a member of the Club’s Governance Committee and is determined to ensure the highest standards of corporate governance.
- Kirpal was personally sought out and interviewed by Richard Ford, Home Correspondent for The Times for an article discussing divorce. Article
- Kirpal has developed a relationship with Nottingham Academy’s Sixth Form (once Europe’s largest school) and has taken part in mock interviews to prepare students for university interviews. She is keen to help students who may be the first in their family to apply to university.
Testimonials
‘Thank you so much!
‘I cannot thank you enough for your help and support; hopefully none of my friends will need your services but I will definitely be recommending you to anyone that might.
‘I am so pleased it is finally all over; thank you again.’
Client
‘Amazing and stunning work Kirpal! Thanks a ton!!!’
Client
‘I wanted to say a personal thank you and share with you how important you have been to our family these last two years.
‘You have been the voice of reason, intelligence, professionalism and kindness. The essential calm voice when the rest of us were ranting and raving and caught up in an emotional storm. Our trust in you grew as each month passed, forget “What would Beyonce do?”; for this family it will always be now and forever more “What does Kirpal think?”!
‘So! From the bottom of my heart; thank you. Thank you for being excellent at your job. Thank you for being a kind person. Thank you for supporting my brother and caring, and know that in this case you have provided enormous comfort and validation, not just for him, but to us, his extended family.’
Client
‘Excellent service which was delivered quickly and assiduously. Kirpal Bidmead helped considerably with alleviating stresses that are normally present at a very difficult time, such as divorce. She is approachable, empathetic and very professional. Thank you for your service.’
Client
‘Kirpal manages expectations with a calmness that inspires absolute confidence in her.’
Client
‘Kirpal Bidmead possesses an all-encompassing family law practice. She advises clients on financial remedy proceedings and divorce settlements, often involving pensions and trusts. She is also well versed in childcare.’
Chambers
‘An outstanding children solicitor. She manages expectations with a calmness that inspires absolute confidence in her. Highly experienced.’
Legal 500
‘As someone dealing with clients who are often at their most vulnerable and in need of support, clear advice and guidance, Kirpal is immensely talented and highly capable. She matches this with a balanced empathy which most would envy, whilst at the same time ensuring that the best legal interests of the client are at the heart of her work.’
Client
‘Words cannot express how much help and support you have been to me over the last five years. I just wished I had approached you when I first needed the advice and representation and not coming to you so many years later when things went awry. You have been truly wonderful Kirpal and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.’
Client