Victoria Walton - Partner and Head of the Commercial Property Team, Swinburne Maddison
What were your career ambitions growing up?
From an early age, I knew I wanted to be successful in my career. I briefly toyed with being a vet or an accountant, but I was always interested in being a solicitor.
I had my heart set on being a family lawyer and it wasn’t until I started working at Swinburne Maddison, and my training contract was largely property focused, that I realised that I enjoyed it. I haven’t considered doing anything else since.
Tell us about your current role and what do you most enjoy?
I wear three hats! Partner, Lawyer and Head of the Commercial Property team.
As well as having my own caseload, I am responsible for overseeing a team working on a full range of commercial property and development matters. I take a huge amount of satisfaction from working collaboratively with clients to understand their commercial objectives and driving factors and putting a plan in place with them to achieve it.
It is also a pleasure to play a role in the development of the team and see them thrive in their careers. There is nothing better than seeing someone’s excitement at their own success, particularly when you have seen the effort that has gone into achieving it.
What is your proudest business achievement?
I was appointed as a Partner in 2006 and I am proud that I have been able to play some part in helping the firm grow to the size and stature that it has today.
It goes without saying that winning Property Law Firm of the Year in 2022 was an incredible feeling as well as being recognised by The Legal 500 as a Top Tier firm for Commercial Property.
How has your industry evolved in the last decade and what changes do you see in the next decade?
Technology has greatly advanced and that will absolutely continue. Artificial Intelligence will have a big part to play and as scary as change can be for some, we must embrace it to help our business and clients thrive.
What are you currently working on?
Currently, I am working with a number of clients on a variety of exciting projects.
We are ready to complete a third residential development site acquisition this year for a long-standing client, as well as working on several other development sites that had stalled due to nutrient neutrality considerations.
Tell us about the team you work with?
I’m very fortunate to work with a brilliant team of people at Swinburne Maddison. One of our Core Values is collaboration. This means that no matter how much we grow, we will continue to work across all departments of our business to ensure our clients receive the very best advice in a joined-up approach.
We have a mix of team members who have spent their entire career with us and those who have joined more recently, with new members being encouraged to bring different ideas and experiences to the firm. There is a real energy within the team. It is inspiring to see how much everyone genuinely cares about their clients, the work that they do and the effort that is put in to achieve great results.
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
Firstly, lose the perm!
I would reassure myself that it is ok to not know everything from day one. Also, don’t restrict your knowledge to purely legal matters – develop as a person beyond that so you can be a rounded professional adviser.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I have been at Swinburne Maddison for 24 years and I fully expect to be here in 10 years. If the past 10 years are anything to go by, I expect that we will have continued to grow and embrace change. It’s truly exciting to even imagine where we could be.
Who would be your four ideal dinner guests, alive or dead?
Julie Andrews, Hugh Jackman (on condition he brings his tap shoes), Freddie Mercury and Sir Tim Rice.
How do you unwind outside of work?
I spend a lot of time doing crafty things with my daughter. She has also inherited my love of musicals, so we often go to the theatre or watch our favourites at home on repeat.
I also love being outside, usually walking, swimming or paddle boarding and have recently started scuba diving again.
Favourite book and box set?
My favourite book has to be The Night Before Christmas. My Dad used to read it to me and my brother and now I love reading it to my daughter. I don’t have a favourite boxset, but I am currently rewatching Motherland. I can definitely see traits of myself in one of the characters, but I am not saying which one!
www.swinburnemaddison.co.uk