Meet the team - Gemma Parker, Partner

Gemma Parker is a Partner based in our Southampton office. Today, she shares her story.

“Hi, I’m Gemma Parker, a partner in Clyde & Co’s Catastrophic Injury and Large Loss team in Southampton, UK. I handle a varied caseload of catastrophic and multi-track personal injury claims, often involving complex liability issues and serious, life changing injuries.

I didn’t start out aiming for a career in law. I studied accounting and economics before discovering a real interest in legal work. I’d always enjoyed maths at school, so I went to university to study accounting and economics with the intention of becoming an accountant.

During my degree, I took a law for accountants’ module — and that completely changed my direction. I found the legal side genuinely fascinating, so after graduating I went on to complete the Graduate Diploma in Law and decided to qualify as a solicitor instead.

I first discovered personal injury during my training contract and immediately enjoyed the pace, variety and problem-solving involved. The mix of detailed investigations, complex quantum issues and meaningful work with clients continues to motivate me.

One memorable case involved a claimant alleging injury while lifting a box from height. Through thorough liability and causation investigations, including witness evidence and her medical and DWP records, we established a significant pre existing history. We denied liability, stood firm, and the claimant eventually discontinued at trial and agreed to contribute to our client’s costs - a strong outcome and a reminder of the value of detailed evidence gathering.

Curiosity and analytical thinking underpin how I work. I like getting into the detail, understanding how everything fits together, and giving clear, confident advice. Being personable and communicating well also helps build trust and makes teamwork easier, something I really value.

The market is increasingly shifting towards more complex, higher value injury work, which genuinely interests me and plays to my strengths. What I enjoy most at Clyde & Co, though, is the people - talented, supportive and fun to work with. The mix of great colleagues, lovely clients, and challenging work makes it a brilliant place to build a career.

Outside of work, one of my favourite things to do is go to the theatre. I love both plays and musicals, and it’s something I really enjoy sharing with my children and the rest of my family. The last show we saw was Peter Pan, a panto at the Mayflower Theatre, which was brilliant and full of energy.

My favourite play so far has been Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the staging and effects were incredible, and the way they brought the magic to life was amazing. My favourite musical is Blood Brothers, the story may be sad, but the songs are wonderful.”