At Setfords, we have long encouraged our consultants to fit their legal work around their lives, and not the other way around. This enables them to have a fulfilling legal career without compromising on other areas of their lives. This is just one of the reasons why our consultancy model is becoming an ever more popular option for lawyers that find the traditional 9-5 limits what they can do.
In this article, we hear from Kevin Dillon, a litigation specialist who has recently joined Setfords. How has he found his Setfords journey so far, and how does our unique position as the UK’s leading platform law firm enable him to make the most of his other passion and career? Hear from Kevin below:

I am new to Setfords, only joining in February 2024. In the past, I have worked mostly in small practices where you become a jack of all trades (hopefully, not a master of none!). Every day tended to be something different, depending upon who walked in off the street and what they wanted. So, it could be drafting a will one day and selling a house the next. However, most of my experience has been in personal injury and housing disrepair, so I would describe those as my specialist areas.
I considered consultancy because I have reached a stage in my career where I don’t want to be working 24/7 anymore. A consultancy role gives me the flexibility to work how I want to. I first came across Setfords in its advertisement in the jobs section of the Law Society Gazette. The more I read, the more I liked it. It looked perfect for me. At first, I was wondering what the catch is – but there isn’t one.
I love my role as a lawyer, but the law is not my only passion. I have been running since I was 9 years old. I took part in a school sports day and smashed the one-mile school record. By the time I was 15, I was getting international call-ups for the England schools team as a middle-distance runner and, subsequently, for the Great Britain youth and junior teams. I knew then that I could make the grade in top level, senior athletics. However, in those days, the 1970s, athletics was an amateur sport and I needed another career as my “day job,” and studying law appealed to me.
Over the years, I have been able to combine two careers I love. Athletics takes me all over the world, running for Great Britain in masters (over 35) championships and winning medals at European and World level. I can even see a definite overlap between my twin careers. To be a successful athlete, it is not enough to just have talent. You need hard work, dedication and commitment. These are qualities which, I am sure, will resonate with any good lawyer.



Working with Setfords gives me the opportunity to do my training sessions when it suits me. In the winter, I can use the daylight hours, instead of the cold, wet, dark, horrible nights, which is when I have had to train in the past. At the same time, running keeps me fit and sharp and that has a positive effect on my professional work.
The best thing about Setfords is, without doubt, the flexibility to work the hours I want to work. In addition, I have been working freelance in recent years and Professional Indemnity Insurance has become ever more expensive for sole practitioners. This is another thing that Setfords takes care of, which is another huge advantage of being part of the Setfords family.
It has been so far, so good in my short time with Setfords. I have been astonished by the sophistication of the online systems. I have never seen anything like this before and they are always introducing new features to assist us lawyers. An average law practice simply doesn’t have the systems that Setfords has.
Finally, do I have any advice for lawyers considering consultancy? Yes, just do it. Contact Setfords and you will not regret it. It is the best favour that I have ever done for myself.

Is consultancy for me?
If you want to find out more about 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…