Danielle Cruickshank Paralegal

Danielle Cruickshank is a Paralegal in the Private Client team at Swinburne Maddison, working alongside senior lawyers to support clients in all aspects of estate planning, administration, and personal affairs. She joined the firm in 2023 as a secretary before becoming a Senior Legal Assistant in 2024. Danielle has a wealth of experience from working in private client and dispute resolution roles at both regional and international law firms. Her commitment, strong client relationships, and growing technical expertise led to her well-deserved promotion to Paralegal in May 2025.

Currently undertaking her studies with CILEx Law School, Danielle is on the path to qualifying as a Chartered Legal Executive. She brings a well-rounded, client-centred approach to her work, drawing not only on her legal experience but also on her background in finance and mortgage broking. Having achieved multiple qualifications in this area, including a Diploma in Finance and Mortgage Broking, Danielle has a solid understanding of how property, assets, and inheritance should be considered when planning for the future and passing wealth onto loved ones.

She stands out for her ability to connect with clients in a down-to-earth and compassionate way, often guiding them through complex or emotional matters at particularly sensitive times in their lives. Danielle is focused on providing clear, jargon-free advice tailored to the individual needs of each client. Her core values of honesty, integrity, and genuine care underpin everything she does, and she is particularly passionate about working with private individuals seeking support with wills and lasting powers of attorney.

• Wills
• Lasting Powers of Attorney

Danielle’s background includes time at a regional law firm working within the Private Client department and at the offshore firm Collas Crill, where she worked in the Dispute Resolution team. These roles helped her develop a broad and practical understanding of legal processes and client needs, which she now brings to her role at Swinburne Maddison.

Day to day, Danielle’s role is varied and client-focused. She meets with clients to understand their personal circumstances and guides them through the process. Alongside drafting Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney, she provides support to senior fee earners across a wide range of matters.

Career highlights to date include her promotion to Paralegal, assisting the Head of Department with complex casework, and building trusted, long-standing relationships with clients. She is committed to her continued development and is proud to be progressing her legal qualifications while making meaningful contributions to the department.

Danielle is actively involved in Swinburne Maddison’s outreach work with local schools, where she provides guidance on CV writing and interview preparation.

She also participates in volunteer days at St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham and is passionate about environmental sustainability, currently working with her family and local authorities on a tree-planting project involving local primary schools.