This Father’s Day, we’re celebrating all of the dads at Setfords by talking to two of our lawyers about what consultancy has meant for them and their families.
Adam Wright is a senior consultant clinical negligence solicitor, and David Miers is an occupational stress and psychiatric injury specialist. They both have young children and have joined Setfords as consultant solicitors within the last two years.
An internal battle
Any working parent knows about the internal battle between family and career. This is a particularly hard balance in law, which is not a sector traditionally known for its flexibility. Most lawyers are expected to work long hours to reach the top, often with a commute to the office added on top. The result? Many working parents feel like they aren’t spending enough time with their family. This is a struggle that David Miers knows all too well:
“I was a weekend dad, I used to leave the home at seven in the morning, get home at seven at night, and all of a sudden, I was a much bigger part of their lives. So even putting aside all of the benefits to my career, my home life just improved instantly from the consultancy model.”
Adam Wright agrees with this benefit of the consultancy model, saying:
“Working in a consultancy way gives me complete freedom and flexibility to work how I want when I want, but also allows me to commit time to my daughter and wife.”
By offering lawyers the opportunity to work when and where they want, consultancy gives them the power to change their and their families’ lives for good.
The best of both worlds
For many working parents, trying to find the right balance between work and home life can be incredibly tough. As a result, they feel like they have to sacrifice something, whether that’s career progression or time at home. This can feel unfair and frustrating for parents who want the best of both worlds: a happy family and a great career.
Adam says:
“I’ve always wanted to be a dad. I knew that since my late teens. And I’ve always wanted to be a dad that’s very hands-on. Setfords has enabled me to do that. I think if I hadn’t taken this leap, I probably wouldn’t have the connection I’ve got with my daughter that I have now.”
This is a sentiment echoed by David, who says:
“I’m a better lawyer, I’m a better dad, I’m happier generally. I’m able to do the things which I didn’t have time to do before consultancy.”
That’s exactly what consultancy at Setfords is all about: giving our lawyers the flexibility to live life their way. For our working parents, this means they can play a role in their children’s lives that they could only dream about in traditional legal careers. Of course, balancing fatherhood and a career still brings about its fair share of stresses, but at Setfords we aim to make it as straightforward as possible.
Precious family moments
We always encourage our lawyers to fit work around family life, and not the other way around. As such, we always love hearing about the precious moments that they are able to share with their family, that they would have missed out on if they worked in a more traditional role. Adam shares one such moment with us:
“I think it was last year, around March time, we had a heavy downpour of snow. I stopped work and took my daughter out on the sledge. I wouldn’t have been able to do that previously. And we had loads of fun on that day. So, great memories made.”
Ultimately, these moments are a big part of the reason we do what we do. We know that lawyers who are happy and fulfilled in their work and personal lives do better work for their clients, so everybody wins. If you’re a parent thinking about becoming a consultant, David Miers has a few final words on why you should consider it:
“I have the freedom to be the lawyer I want to be, and the family person I’ve always wanted to be. It’s so great.”
Is consultancy for me?
If you are interested in becoming a consultant with us, get in touch. We are happy to conduct interviews remotely for suitable, UK-qualified candidates with five or more years’ experience. If you’re a good fit, you’ll be joining a team that was created for lawyers to do their best work.
The next step towards a better way of working…
