Article summary: You don’t need to wait until you’re eligible for consultancy to start preparing for it. The lawyers who make the smoothest transition are well prepared with a few key skills, including building client relationships, developing a specialism, being comfortable with the business side of law, generating a professional network beyond their own firm,

Article summary: Moving to consultancy means moving away from the built-in social structure of office life. However, it doesn’t mean you need to feel isolated. Building both a professional network and a personal support system in your first year matters just as much as building your client base, so you can thrive both professionally and

Article summary: Marketing as a consultant doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you find the prospect of promoting yourself uncomfortable, a handful of consistent habits, including being visible, easy to find, and easy to recommend, do most of the work for you. However, if you enjoy marketing, there’s plenty of room to be more proactive

Article Summary: Your first year as a consultant solicitor isn’t about doing everything at once. The core things to prepare for are: a short adjustment period while invoicing and cash flow find their rhythm, a realistic (not overwhelming) approach to generating work, honing in on marketing activity that builds over time, and making sure you have a support network in place so consultancy doesn’t mean

Article Summary: You don’t need an existing client following to make consultancy work, and you don’t need to become a natural salesperson overnight either. Most lawyers already have a stronger foundation than they realise, in the form of relationships, referrals, and reputation built over years of practice. For those with a smaller existing network, business development can still be built

Article Summary: Building your consultancy practice to where you want it to be can take a little time. For many coming from traditional employed roles, income may dip briefly when you first start, before it climbs. You don’t need a large lump sum in the bank to manage this. A flexible, gradually-built buffer and a realistic sense of your own cash flow matter more than a specific number. There’s no single right way to price

Setfords has been confirmed as the UK’s largest fee-share law firm by lawyer headcount in the Codex Edge Platform Firms Report 2026.  The report, the most comprehensive independent analysis of the platform sector, shows Setfords ended 2025 with 653 consultant lawyers, the highest of any platform firm operating on a pure fee-share model.   The firm has grown its consultant

Setfords has been shortlisted for UK Firm of the Year at The Lawyer Awards 2026 – the only platform firm on the category shortlist. The ten shortlisted firms are: Addleshaw Goddard, Brodies, Hill Dickinson, Macfarlanes, Mills & Reeve, Pinsent Masons, Setfords, Stephenson Harwood, Taylor Wessing and TLT. The shortlisting follows a standout year for the firm. Setfords

Setfords is the only law firm ever to be listed in the Financial Times: Europe’s Long-Term Growth Champions, a list celebrating long term organic growth across all industries in Europe. We have placed 34th among UK companies and 184th in Europe overall, an extraordinary achievement for a firm that continues to challenge the status quo

An increasing number of lawyers are exploring alternatives to traditional law firms. Firms like Setfords offer more flexibility, autonomy, and fulfilment to entrepreneurial lawyers who are looking to escape the high-pressure environment of conventional law practices.  This article provides insights into building a fulfilling legal career outside of the traditional setting, whether you’re a lawyer

Looking to elevate your career as a consultant solicitor? Whether you’re already thriving in consultancy or considering a shift from a traditional firm, these actionable tips will help you expand your expertise and grow a successful, flexible practice. The Setfords consultancy model offers lawyers from all practice areas a rewarding alternative to the traditional career

The legal industry has seen a significant shift towards more flexible and autonomous working in recent years. Traditional law firms, with their long hours and rigid pathways to success, are slowly falling out of favour amongst some lawyers as they look towards alternative career paths.  Many lawyers are drawn to the freedom and potential that

The legal landscape is changing, and the traditional law firm structure is no longer the only way to work. For many lawyers, the traditional way isn’t an ideal fit. Instead, they see platform law firms like Setfords as a more flexible and rewarding alternative.   We understand the desire for more autonomy in your career, and