As working life is being revolutionised, now is the perfect time to consider your future as a lawyer. What if you really could have it all?
Long before the mention of COVID-19, Setfords was changing the lives of lawyers. The appeal of ditching billing targets, working when and where you want, and enjoying a much greater sense of wellbeing, had proved too irresistible for many to ignore. As hundreds of lawyers have discovered, as a consultant you can deliver a higher level of service to clients, earn more money, and enjoy a happier, healthier lifestyle.
But the pandemic has caused a ground-shift in office life, and expectations around what careers can and should look like. Perhaps it’s no surprise then, that in the early months of lockdown, Setfords saw a 120% increase in consultants joining the firm.
COVID-19 has brought into sharp focus what we value most. For many, that is family and friends, being in good health, or having the time to do what we love best: whether that’s reading to our children, rock climbing, or relaxing after an early finish on a Friday.
Setfords’ innovative ways of working ensure you can honour these values. So, could this be the moment you take the leap towards a more fulfilling legal career? And if it is, what are the top five ways it could enhance your life?
1. Work from anywhere
The surge in demand for remote working has been a defining trend of 2020. But lawyers at Setfords have been doing it since 2008. Our consultants can be found delivering legal services from city apartments to rural smallholdings, and even the beach. Our technology and support structure means you can literally work from anywhere.
2. Flexible hours
It is well-known that a legal career isn’t normally particularly compatible with family life. At Setfords, that is not the case. A key reason cited by our lawyers for becoming consultants is to allow more time for their family and friends. They can do this because they set their own hours. They are in control of their careers, so they can give the time needed to their personal relationships.
“I have two young children and in a traditional practice, I was finding it more and more difficult to manage their needs, having no flexibility with my working hours and no options to work from home.”
– Anne Thomas, Consultant at Setfords
“I started as a consultant when my wife was due to give birth to our second child. There is no way I could have managed that while still undertaking work in the old practice, such was their seeming distrust of remote working.”
– Tom Mitchell, Consultant at Setfords
Our consultants also report that our structure is supportive to lawyers returning to work, for example, after having children.
“The bonus is that I am able to have my career at a pace that suits my home life rather than allowing my job dictate my work-life balance. It is the combination of flexible hours and remote working that allows parents to put their family first, while also having a successful career.”
– Lauren Dimmack, Consultant at Setfords
3. Financial success
More time for family and friends does not have to come at the expense of your earnings. The Setfords model does away with unjust reward structures. No more having to ‘carry’ the billing of other departments in the firm, stressful billing targets or gender pay gaps. At Setfords, women are paid the same as men, mothers as much as fathers, and our fee-share structure means lawyers can take home up to 80% of their billings. The more you achieve, the more significant the remuneration. You can earn more, while working less.
“Working from home, hours that suit my family life, flexibility and not having to ‘check if it was ok’ to finish early appealed to me. In addition there was the potential to earn more money for the work that I was already doing.”
– Sonia Watson, Consultant at Setfords
The financial success of the model is in part down to how well it works for clients. Without billing targets (and because they keep a greater portion of their earnings), our lawyers can give more attention to the right amount of people. A better service means more repeat business and stronger word of mouth. It’s win-win, and part of the reason David Taylor has had such great success, and recently celebrated his 10-year anniversary with the firm.
“Clients want excellent service at an affordable price. The Setfords model allows for this.”
– David Taylor, Consultant at Setfords
Need more reasons? Read this
My experience as a Consultant Lawyer over the last 10 years.
A blog by David Taylor
4. Better support from an award-winning team
Behind every great lawyer is a great support team, and at Setfords you can be sure you won’t be going it alone. From our new Wellbeing Department, to Accounts, technical and administrative support, business development, compliance, digital marketing, and PR, you will be fully supported by our award-winning 80-plus team, based in Guildford.
You will also be part of a strong consultancy of 300-plus lawyers, based all over the country, who cross-refer work, socialise at events, and support each other by sharing ideas and insights.
“The support team at Setfords is the best I have ever known from over 15 years in practice.”
Kathryn Hulmes, Consultant at Setfords
The excellent sense of teamwork is also noted by consultant lawyer Jeffrey Gilbert who joined Setfords last year.
“It’s a great feeling being able to simply pick up the phone to mutually discuss your workload with like-minded professionals. I made the move to Setfords after almost three decades working for a traditional firm. I knew I had made the right decision.”
Jeffrey Gilbert, Consultant at Setfords
5. A happier, healthier life
Working when and where you want, earning more for less work, having more time for family, friends and hobbies, and having a great support team behind you, are all designed to ensure you enjoy a happier and healthier life. Wellbeing is enhanced.
Research repeatedly shows the links between stress and ill-health. But by working as a consultant, you have much greater control over those factors that so often bring unsustainable pressure within a legal career. Unrealistic targets and an unrealistic workload become a thing of the past. Setfords offers you a better way of working.
Thinking about consultancy?
Lawyers who join Setfords can earn more money, enjoy a better-work life balance, and the next consultant could be you. So, get in touch today and take the next step towards a happier life.
The next step towards a better way of working…
Take your first step today
