Klein Hamilton

The option of becoming a freelance solicitor makes it cheaper and easier to set up and practise alone than ever before. The option of becoming a freelance solicitor makes it cheaper and easier to set up and practise alone than ever before. Unlike the process of establishing as a sole practitioner – it can take months to get a new firm authorised – if you have a practising certificate and want to become a freelance solicitor, you could be up and running in less than a week. To get going, you simply need to notify the Solicitors Regulation Authority and ensure that you have a letter of engagement and terms of business which meet the notification requirements set out by the regulator. If you want to offer reserved legal services, you will also need three years’ post-qualification experience and ‘adequate and appropriate’ professional indemnity insurance. It really is that simple. Except, of course, nothing is quite that simple. The low upfront costs and promise of reduced bureaucra...

Although coming to the decision that you’re ready to change jobs is a big step, translating that decision into the reality of finding a new role with a new employer can still seem a frustratingly long way off. But to give you the reassurance that things are moving in the right direction, there are actually lots of things you can be doing – starting from now... Write your ideal job description You know you want to move on… but move on to what? Have a go at drafting a job description for your ideal role. Factor in your strengths and areas of interest, and think about the areas you like or dislike about your current role. Use this ideal description to inform your job search. Draw up a timetable Break down your job search into a series of manageable phases – such as Research, Selection, Applications, Interview Preparation – with a realistic timeframe against each phase. Work out what you need to do at each phase – e.g. for the Application phase, you’ll need your CV ready, for the ...