Hear from Babatunde Akinyanju, Consultant Family Solicitor, as he reflects on his Setfords journey and his first year working as a consultant.
On 8th April 2025 I celebrated my first anniversary of my journey as a Consultant Family Solicitor with Setfords. It’s been a year of growth, change, and new beginnings after leaving my role with the Family Court.
My Legal Journey
I read law at the University of Lagos and qualified as a Barrister & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1988. Prior to and after qualification, I worked in private practice and central government in Nigeria for about 18 months before relocating to the UK.
In November 1989, I joined the Guildford Magistrates’ Court as a Trainee Court Clerk. I later attended the College of Law, Guildford and enrolled as a Solicitor of England and Wales in June 1995.
From 1989 to 2024 I served as a legal adviser to lay justices in the Magistrates’ Courts, advising magistrates, who are not legally trained, on all aspects of law and procedure. The magistrates decide criminal cases, family law cases, and a few civil matters, including cases such as shoplifting, assaults, public order, and road traffic offences.
In the family jurisdiction, I advised on decisions about where children of separated parents live (Live With Orders), how much time children spend with other parents (Spending Time Orders), grandparents’ contact, Parental Orders, Special Guardianship Orders, Adoption, and more. I also advised the magistrates on Family ‘Public Law’ orders. These included applications by local authorities to take children into care, Supervision Orders, and Placement Orders.
Throughout my career, I worked at various courts in Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Berkshire and London. I also trained justices and mentored legal adviser colleagues.
New Beginnings With Setfords
In 2023, I decided that it was time for something new. I had previously explored the option of becoming a judge, but felt that I wanted a role with more flexibility.
I am a carer for my daughter, who has a chronic illness, and my wife has also recently developed additional medical needs. Being available for medical appointments was a key factor in choosing my next career step.
I do a lot of networking and, in the course of that, met someone who had been a family law consultant at Setfords for a couple of years. She encouraged me to consider consultancy. After looking up the Setfords website and making a call, the journey began.
It has been an eventful 12 months, and I am really pleased to have made the move into private practice and, more importantly, to have joined Setfords. The highlights so far are:
Support
I’ve received tremendous support from fellow consultants, as well as the in-house legal and admin teams. They’re always there to assist me with any questions as well as day-to-day support, making the transition seamless.
Business Opportunities
The Business Development and Marketing Teams are actively helping me build a client base. I didn’t have an existing client base before joining Setfords, so this support to build my network has been invaluable.
Wellbeing
Setfords has an active Lawyer wellbeing team. They’re always there to help with career or personal issues, so I never feel alone as a consultant.
Continuous Learning
The Lawyer Wellbeing team also hosts regular webinars covering topics such as compliance and business development. These ensure that I am always learning and developing new ways to build and grow my business.
Social events and networking
There are so many opportunities to interact within the Setfords family, both in person and virtually, which really helps not to feel isolated when working remotely.
Joining Setfords has given me the flexibility to be there for my family while continuing to build a fulfilling career — something I truly value.
Considering consultancy?
My advice to any lawyers considering consultancy would be this:
- Network, network, network! As a consultant you are a businessperson, so start building contacts as soon as you can.
- Have a digital presence. Join LinkedIn and other relevant social media networks to help market yourself and make connections with other lawyers.
- Enjoy the flexibility and freedom that being a consultant offers!
If you think consultancy could be the right next step for you, why not explore your options? Setfords’ industry-leading support teams can assist you with building a client base and marketing yourself to bring in new business. Schedule a confidential call with our team today. Your next chapter could start here.
