Jonathan Moreland Managing Partner
Dispute Resolution
Jonathan Moreland is the Managing Partner at Swinburne Maddison. He qualified as a solicitor in November 1993 after completing his education at University College Cardiff and the College of Law Guildford. Jonathan began his legal career at Swinburne Jackson & Moreland in 1991, where he progressed from Trainee Solicitor to Partner. From then on, he played a key role in the transition during the merger of Swinburne Jackson & Moreland and Wilson Maddison, which led to the creation of Swinburne Maddison as it is known today. In 2021, he was appointed Managing Partner, leading the firm through a period of significant growth and transformation.
Jonathan’s role involves overall management of the firm, steering its strategy, leading the Senior Management Team, and providing expert guidance in employment and HR law. His specialisms include representation at Employment Tribunals for cases involving unfair dismissal, discrimination, and whistleblowing, as well as advising on redundancy, restructuring, TUPE, and HR matters. He also drafts and negotiates settlement agreements for senior executives and provides non-contentious employment law services, such as drafting contracts, policies, and staff handbooks. Jonathan primarily works with clients in professional services, higher education, and manufacturing sectors.
- Employment Tribunal Litigation
- Discrimination Law
- Redundancy and Restructuring
- TUPE
- Settlement Agreements
- SmartHR
Jonathan has over 34 years of legal experience, beginning his career with a broad practice that included criminal law, civil litigation, personal injury, and clinical negligence. Over time, he honed his expertise in employment and HR law, where he now focuses his practice and has done for some considerable time.
Career highlights include:
- Being one of the four founding Partners of Swinburne Maddison in 1998.
- Overseeing the office relocation to Aykley Heads Business Centre in 2006.
- Being appointed Managing Partner in 2021.
- Successfully steering the firm through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Leading the firm during a period of significant growth in both employee numbers and commercial success.
- Playing a key role in the professional development of talented lawyers, many of whom have advanced to partnership roles.
Jonathan stands out as a lawyer due to his dual experience as both a legal adviser and business owner himself, allowing him to offer pragmatic and commercially focused solutions to complex employment issues and enabling businesses to unblock barriers to their growth caused by them. Guided by core values of integrity and humility, Jonathan is dedicated to serving both clients and his staff and fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.
Jonathan seeks to attract ambitious businesses and senior executive employees who value high-quality legal advice tailored to their commercial goals.
Jonathan is also a regular presenter of training sessions and seminars for employer clients and the author of articles.
Key Appointments:
- Member of the Business Durham Advisory Board.
- College Solicitor to St. Chad’s College, Durham University.
- Chair of the Trustees of Durham Union Society, Durham University.
- Former ambassador for the Open North Foundation.
- Former Panel Member of the County Durham Growth Fund.
Jonathan was named as a Leading Partner in the 2025 edition and a Leading Individual in the 2024 edition of the Legal 500, highlighting his prestigious standing within Employment Law within the North East.
“Jonathan Moreland – attentive, accurate, thorough, tenacious, and above all, a gentleman.”
"Jonathan Moreland gives calm, pragmatic, and expert advice that is consistently valuable and impressive. He combines impeccable knowledge of employment Law with strong empathy and interest in the human context of the issues on which he is advising."
"Swinburne Maddison is an incredibly competent and professional legal service which under the leadership of Jonathan Moreland has given me outstanding support, guidance and reassurance. A successful conclusion to the case is now clearly in sight due to the team's relentless drive and dedication. I can’t thank them enough."
News & Insights
Insight
Government-Funded Occupational Health Training Offered to Small Businesses
Government-funded occupational health training is now being offered to small businesses in response to rising levels of long-term sickness among the UK workforce. Currently, 2.8 million people are signed off work due to long-term illness, one of the highest rates in the G7, and there are 800,000 more working-age adults out of work for health […]
Read moreInsight
Why written Contracts matter. Lessons from Harrison V Buchanan
A recent court case serves as a useful reminder that it always pays to have a formal written contract, rather than relying on what was agreed in verbal discussions or through exchanges of emails or other messages. The Case The case of Harrison (t/a Rayson Engineering) v Buchanan and another [2025] EWHC 3283 (IPEC) was […]
Read moreInsight
Changes to ID Verification with Companies House and Company Registers
From 18 November 2025, identity verification became a mandatory requirement for Directors and Persons with Significant Control (PSCs). These changes were introduced under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA) 2023, which is part of the UK Government’s wider strategy to combat economic crime and improve corporate accountability. What’s changed? Identity verification is now […]
Read more
Careers at Swinburne Maddison
Bright futures built together.
Ok, so you’ve come this far where could the next step take you?
We’re always on the lookout for great people to join our team but we also want to make sure we are the right fit for each other.
Here, your career is more than a job—it’s a journey. From day one, you’ll feel supported to grow, develop your skills, and thrive alongside a team that values collaboration and care. Whether you’re a legal eagle or a support extraordinaire, we focus on helping you succeed in an environment where you truly belong. Let’s achieve great things together.