Gemma Wilkinson Head of Legal Compliance
Gemma Wilkinson is the Head of Legal Compliance at Swinburne Maddison, responsible for ensuring the firm upholds the highest regulatory standards and maintains its strong reputation for legal integrity.
Earlier in her career, she worked as a solicitor at a Newcastle based law firm, having qualified in 2009, and later progressing to Associate Solicitor, specialising in personal injury law. Gemma spent over a decade working in practice before transitioning into compliance leadership in 2021.
Gemma holds a Masters in Advanced Legal Practice from Northumbria University and an LLB Law degree from Newcastle University. Additionally, she is a Certified Data Protection Foundation & Practitioner, equipping her with the necessary skills to manage Data Protection and regulatory compliance effectively.
Gemma is known for her collaborative approach, working closely with teams across the firm to provide clear and effective compliance guidance. She is also committed to supporting the next generation of legal professionals through initiatives such as ‘Build My Skills,’ where she delivers presentations to school students on key aspects of the legal profession.
She has extensive experience working with leading law firms on compliance and risk management, ensuring regulatory adherence and best practice implementation. Before joining Swinburne Maddison in January 2025, Gemma served as Complaints & Compliance Manager at a Newcastle law firm, where she played a key role in developing and enforcing compliance strategies.
With over 15 years of post-qualification experience, she brings a wealth of legal knowledge and a strategic approach to compliance management. Her role involves overseeing the firm’s adherence to evolving legal and regulatory frameworks, managing day-to-day compliance queries, and maintaining the firm’s Lexcel accreditation.
News & Insights
Insight
From £270,000 to £6.6 Million.The Divorce Case That Changed Family Law
Britain’s “longest-running” divorce battle is finally over after a High Court judge awarded an ex-wife £6.6 million from her former husband’s concealed fortune, bringing an end to a dispute spanning more than two decades. Varsha Gohil, 61, first petitioned for divorce from solicitor Bhadresh Gohil in May 2002, citing adultery and unreasonable behaviour. At the […]
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Redevelopment of the High Street in County Durham
The high street continues to evolve as towns and cities respond to changing consumer behaviour, retail decline and the growth of online and out-of-town shopping. While these changes have left visible gaps in many town centres across County Durham and the wider North East, they have also created opportunities for property investors and landlords willing […]
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When Are Oral Agreements Legally Binding? Lessons from Leddington v Sandercock
In Leddington and another v Sandercock and another [2026] EWHC 938 (Ch), the Chancery Division dismissed a claim for over £333,000 relating to an alleged oral agreement between the parties. The case highlights a key issue in contract law, that although oral agreements (sometimes referred to as “gentlemen’s agreements”) can be legally binding, they must […]
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Careers at Swinburne Maddison
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