Victoria Wakley

I joined Teal in March 2026 with over 20 years’ experience in the legal sector, combining legal practice, regulatory supervision and compliance expertise. 

My career began at a regional law firm where I started as an office junior and progressed through several roles including secretary, paralegal and ultimately fee earner. This progression gave me a strong understanding of how law firms operate at every level and the importance of well-structured systems, governance and client care.

During my time in practice, I worked across both family law and residential conveyancing. As a conveyancer, I managed a wide range of transactions including freehold and leasehold sales and purchases, new builds, shared ownership matters, remortgages, equity release and bridging finance. I experienced first-hand the realities of high-volume conveyancing during periods of rapid change within the property sector, including multiple SDLT reforms and the pressures created by the COVID property market.

The firm I worked with held both Lexcel accreditation and Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) status, meaning compliance and risk management were embedded into everyday practice. As a result, my understanding of compliance extends beyond AML into the wider governance frameworks that support well-run legal practices.

Alongside my fee-earning work, I helped establish and support a centralised onboarding team as the firm expanded from a regional into a national practice. This role provided valuable insight into jurisdictional risk, client due diligence processes and the importance of scalable compliance systems.

I later moved into the AML Proactive Supervision team at the Solicitors Regulation Authority, where I carried out firm inspections and desk-based reviews under the Money Laundering Regulations. Working closely with MLROs, MLCOs and senior leadership gave me a broad perspective on regulatory expectations and the challenges firms face when implementing effective compliance frameworks.

Having worked both within legal practice and regulatory supervision, I bring a practical and balanced perspective to compliance. I understand the day-to-day realities of a law firm because I have experienced them first-hand.

I am particularly passionate about helping firms translate complex regulatory requirements into practical systems that support both compliance and effective client service.

Outside of my professional work, I remain actively involved in my local community through volunteering, including marriage preparation programmes and tribunal work within the diocese.

Expertise

My areas of expertise include:

• AML compliance under the Money Laundering Regulations
• Sanctions and proliferation financing
• Firm-wide risk assessments and AML policies and procedures
• Client and matter risk assessments
• File reviews and compliance monitoring
• Client account rules
• Residential conveyancing risk and property-related financial crime
• Proceeds of Crime considerations within legal practice
• Client onboarding processes and jurisdictional risk
• Lexcel and CQS compliance standards
• Regulatory inspections and supervisory engagement
• Because I have worked both within legal practice and regulatory supervision, I provide guidance that reflects regulatory expectations while remaining realistic and practical for firms to implement.

Career Highlights

• From office junior to fee earner. I progressed through multiple roles within a Lexcel-accredited and CQS-recognised law firm, gaining a deep understanding of how legal practices operate from the ground up.
• Residential conveyancing specialist. I managed a high-volume caseload covering freehold and leasehold transactions, new builds, shared ownership, remortgages, equity release and bridging finance.
• Navigating change in the property market. I worked through multiple and sometimes rapid SDLT reforms, the intense pressures of the COVID property market meant I have first-hand experience of balancing regulatory compliance with the operational realities faced by law firms.
• Scaling compliance. I helped establish and support a centralised onboarding team as a regional firm expanded nationally, developing processes to assess client identity, jurisdictional risk and source of funds at scale.
• Regulatory supervision experience. I have carried out AML firm inspections and desk-based reviews within the SRA’s AML proactive supervision team, working directly with MLROs, MLCOs and senior management.
• Supporting firms through regulatory engagement. I have been recognised by firms for a collaborative approach that helped turn regulatory reviews into practical opportunities to strengthen compliance.
• Industry engagement. I have participated in the SRA’s Sole Practitioner AML webinar, supporting outreach and guidance to smaller firms navigating regulatory obligations.