Wilson Hill trained at another firm, qualified into their tax team, and spent close to eight years there before deciding that a career built around other people’s schedules wasn’t the only option for him. A six-month honeymoon abroad, a move to Belfast, and a search for a firm that would let him build his own practice eventually brought him to Setfords.
The Path to Qualifying as a Tax Lawyer
Wilson studied law at Oxford, though it wasn’t his first thought for a career.
“I was actually very nearly a doctor, but I think that was something my mum wanted more than me.”
The subjects that had held his attention through school pointed him in a different direction.
“I quite liked history and English, and I really enjoyed the problem-solving and argumentative side of things. It seemed like law would suit me quite well, particularly the debating.”
He went through the usual round of firm interviews, spent a summer on vacation schemes in London, and eventually took a training contract offer from Linklaters. After two years of training, he stayed on for another six or seven years, qualifying into the firm’s tax team, where much of the work meant sitting across the table from clients rather than just paperwork.
“Someone comes to you with quite a complex problem, and it’s on you to distil this huge grey area that people think of as the law into something concise and easy to understand, something they can act on. I’m quite a people person, so I really enjoy interacting with different people every day.”
As a junior lawyer, that meant long hours in the back office, surrounded by stacks of files and legislation.
“There’s some fantastic people in the industry. If you train somewhere like that, you’re surrounded by your mates, and you’re all in the same boat when you’re going through the tricky times. Even when things are pretty bleak, having a great group of people around you helps.”
A Break That Changed His Plans
A few years into his time at Linklaters, Wilson got married, and the honeymoon became his first real break from the job.
“My wife and I decided that six months travelling around the world would be the best way to spend the honeymoon. She very fortunately got a sabbatical. I didn’t, so I decided to leave.”
Six months of travel gave him more space than he’d had in years at the firm, enough to properly weigh up whether he wanted to go back to the same kind of role at all.
“When I came back, I didn’t feel like I wanted to go back to a more traditional firm. Linklaters is one of the best firms in the market and it was a brilliant place to train, but it’s intense, and it gets more intense the more senior you get.”
Choosing Setfords
After the honeymoon, Wilson began looking at firms that would let him shape his own book of work rather than fit into someone else’s plan for him.
“You’ve got all the tools to decide what you want your career to look like, rather than living up to someone else’s expectations of it.”
Setfords was the firm that offered both sides of that equation.
“I wanted a way to still do my job, still work hard, still interact with great clients and great people, but a bit more on my own terms. That’s what really highlighted Setfords to me, somewhere you’ve got the opportunity to be your own kind of lawyer and do your own kind of work, but you still have a great support network.”
The final decision came down to a single office visit.
“I was pretty insistent during the hiring process that I’d meet people in person. I came into the office, and everyone said it was a great place to work. I was pretty much immediately hooked.”
Splitting Time Between Belfast and London
Wilson joined Setfords in December and has spent the months since building up his caseload and getting to know the London office. Around the same time, he and his wife moved to Belfast.
“We decided we’d like to make our home there for the next couple of years. One of the best things about Setfords is that it’s given me the flexibility to do that. I can be here in London to see clients and colleagues when I need to, and then go home and work from there. It’s really quite nice to be able to split my time between two great cities.”
Considering Consultancy?
If Wilson’s story sounds like the change you’re looking for, get in touch with our recruitment team today for a confidential conversation about what life as a Setfords consultant could look like for you.
