Imagine this; you’re sitting peacefully in your finca, (or “rural property”) in the heart of Spain. As you’re finalising the day’s work, the sun is still shining on the horizon, inviting you into your daily stroll to the river, accompanied by your two dogs for a splash around to cool down in the warm air.
This isn’t a one-off. For “two glorious months”, as Consultant Solicitor Susan Lyons puts it, this was what practicing law looked like every day.
Freedom to explore
Susan celebrated her 10-year anniversary with Setfords and it’s this kind of flexibility that’s kept her here all this time. Our model enables many of our consultants, including Susan, to travel and explore the world whilst they work or take as many holidays as they like. To date, Susan has worked in Australia, Spain, Ukraine, Portugal, France, Ireland, USA, and is currently working from Cyprus. When we asked Susan about her travelling from her time with us, some of her highlights were:
“Dog sitting in a cave house in Granada while logging in everyday”
“I’ve travelled to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam with my son”
Susan is also renovating a small cottage in South Wales, as well as planning trips to Ireland (in her self-built campervan: “Nessa” after the character from Gavin & Stacey) as well as Greece.
Flexibility without compromise
Susan’s past experiences in the legal industries were far less free and flexible. At previous firms she dealt with misogyny and glass ceilings, both of which are long gone. The traditional structure meant that she could only take short holidays with no time for extended travel.
The renewed freedom that Susan has here at Setfords is what keeps her feeling refreshed and energised. This freedom isn’t just a luxury for our lawyers, for many, it changes and shapes the way in which they live.
However, this freedom doesn’t mean consultants have to compromise on the service they offer. When asked what she was most proud of about her time with us, she said:
“Retaining a strong client base through hard work and dedication by giving my clients the best possible service”
We believe that consultants who are allowed to work on their own terms will be able to provide a better service to clients than a lawyer who is distracted, drained and drowning in needless admin tasks. The Setfords way of working rewards consultants’ dedication by enabling them to design their own life in a way that allows them to do more of what they love and far less of what they don’t.
Beyond the law
Like many of our consultants, Susan has made use of our model’s freedom and flexibility to pursue several causes that are meaningful to her. She obtained a CELTA qualification (Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) and spent a month in Valencia teaching English to children. She also spent time teaching volunteers with charitable organisations aimed at assisting refugees. And, she even finds time to volunteer at Green Man festival on a yearly basis. Flexibility isn’t limited to beaches and holidays, it means being available to pursue anything that matters to you, no matter how big it is.
If Susan’s story resonates, then we’d love to discuss what becoming a consultant could look like for you!
