My Switch to Consultancy at Setfords

After 28 years at a partnership, I decided I wanted a new challenge and that it was time to make a change.

I liked the idea of being able to manage my hours and workload whilst enjoying greater financial rewards. With this in mind, it felt a switch to consultancy was my best path. In December 2019, after almost three decades working for a traditional firm, I made the move and joined Setfords as a consultant lawyer.

Jeffrey with his three daughters, Abigail, Eliana and Leah in The Arches Pool, Ramla, Israel.

Initially, it was strange familiarising myself with the new procedures, not to mention adjusting to a dynamic where your secretaries are no longer just outside your door. However, it quickly became apparent just how efficient the day-to-day operations of the Setfords support staff are, and I knew I had made the right decision.

Since joining, I have been welcomed into a close-knit network of consultant lawyers based all over the country. It’s a great feeling being able to simply pick up the phone at any point during the day to mutually discuss your workload, details on cases or trade advice with like-minded professionals.

Jeffrey with his sons Joseph, Binyomin and Dovid.

There is an excellent sense of teamwork at Setfords, which has contributed significantly to my success since the beginning of 2020.

A particularly proud moment was setting a new personal best for 2-day turnaround time on a case. Ensuring contracts issued in the same afternoon, simultaneous exchange and completed the very next day topped off with the clients’ funds hitting their bank account just 16 minutes later, resulting in a very happy client.

Gilbert’s reunited half term in Israel, Feb 2020.

This demonstrated the incredible level of support that was on hand and gave me an immense feeling of being part of something big. I have to say that the most significant benefit of my switch to consultancy has been the financial reward. That, coupled with the ability to work from wherever I want, enabled me to take my family out to Israel to spend time with my daughter, Abigail, who was on her gap year. I had my laptop with me and was able to rely on the support team to work on anything urgent whilst I was away.

Jeffrey and his wife enjoying a day out at Biddulph Grange.

Overall, it has given me the freedom to live a more balanced life. I can go to morning prayers at my Synagogue, enjoy breakfast with my family and even take the children to school every day before I start work. To top it all off, I can enjoy evening walks with my wife at the end of the day.

This way of working not only allows me to be available to my clients whenever they need me during the day but also my family.