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Cognitive Law was relatively “lucky” when the Government advised us all to work from home wherever possible. We already did. All our solicitors were used to working when, where and how they wished – predominantly from home. I won’t pretend that makes lockdown any easier on a personal level, but it did reduce the stress... Read more »

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What’s the best bit about being a self-employed Consultant Solicitor?

I was asked that last Friday at The Thrive Effect Female  Founders Brunch in aid of International Women’s Day & my instant answer was “being my own boss”. Being in control of your working day is undoubtedly the working ideal. It doesn’t mean you work any harder or any less hard, it means you get... Read more »

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What does being a Consultant Solicitor sound like to you?

Too good to be true? Too much like hard work? An excuse for someone to take 30% of your hard-earned fees for nothing? All of the above? When informally polling professionals about consultancy in the legal profession, some people asked me why a solicitor wouldn’t just set up on their own as opposed to working... Read more »

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DON’T GO IN-HOUSE, GO HOME (& work from there)

It was reported in last week’s Law Society Gazette that more & more senior associates are defecting from private practice to work in-house. Why? Work/life balance of course. This report probably reflected new year resolutions to re-balance life, to try & claw back a bit of personal time and space without compromising being a solicitor.... Read more »

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Dads who are solicitors deserve to have it all too

I often write about solicitor mums, but I didn’t want this to be to the exclusion of dads. To suggest that solicitor dads don’t need the representation in the legal profession that mums do, wouldn’t sit comfortably with me. Feminism is incredibly important to me, but it is a means to equality, to which dads... Read more »

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Life now as a flexible working Consultant Solicitor

Enjoying the change I could probably wax lyrical for pages about how happy I am that I have made the break away from traditional legal practice. In case you’re about to check out my employment history on LinkedIn, I’m always at pains to say there was absolutely nothing wrong with the firms I practiced at... Read more »

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The Dos and Don’ts of being a Consultant Solicitor

Making the move from employed solicitor to self-employed consultant solicitor is life changing and is not a decision to be taken lightly. So to help you along the way we have put together a short list of just some of the dos and don’ts of being a consultant solicitor at Cognitive law. DO: Go on... Read more »

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Woman Lawyers and Mothers Launch Event

Woman Lawyers and Mothers are launching in East Sussex! The launch event is taking place on Thursday 4th April and is guaranteed to inspire woman lawyers to embrace their legal career with a new perspective! Managing Director and Solicitor Lucy Tarrant will be speaking at the event explaining the diversity of roles open to solicitors... Read more »

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Why I ditched the traditional law firm set up to become a consultant solicitor

We asked our very own Employment Solicitor Annabel Cole why she chose to ditch the traditional law firm set up in favour of pursuing a career as a consultant solicitor at Cognitive Law. How many years have you been a lawyer? I have been a lawyer for 17 years.   Where did you first start your career... Read more »

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Thinking about becoming a consultant solicitor? Frequently asked questions

Over the years I’ve discussed the option of consultancy with many solicitors. By the time a solicitor reaches the stage of thinking of consultancy, the positives are very apparent – complete flexibility, being able to choose where they work, how many hours they would like to work, and the freedom to work with whom they... Read more »

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