‘I’ve always enjoyed legal work, but private practice wasn’t for me. I wasn’t prepared to put my life on hold to get to the top. The opportunity of freelance work presented itself when a friend told me about Vario. I’ve got seven years of PQE, and working in this way allows me to dip in and out of well-paid contracts as I’ve been building up my business. Sailing has always been my absolute passion, and now I can pursue this whilst maintaining the level of financial stability my young family needs. A four-month contract provides a cushion that allows me to focus on the business for six months.
For me, it’s a fair exchange of time and expertise, for money. The expectations that people have of you as a freelance lawyer are much more balanced — you’re not locked in and you retain control of your working life.
I’ve experimented with different freelance work patterns — working full-time for several months versus ongoing part-time work — to see which is the best balance. Currently, I’ve just started a contract two days a week with a regulatory agency, which is really interesting as I’m learning new skills.
It can be difficult to switch from complete immersion in my venture, to complete immersion in a legal contract (and back again), so I’m hoping the current arrangement will allow me to stay on top of both!
The support I receive from Vario is invaluable in ensuring each assignment is the right fit for my situation. The team is consistently available and helpful, and the clout of Pinsent Masons adds to the confidence I feel walking into new environments.
A great freelance lawyer needs to be personable, embrace change and be happy outside of their comfort zone. You need to go into contracts with an open mind, reacting quickly to situations and doing the right thing without putting people’s noses out of joint. The success of a contract is determined as much by how you behave, as by what you know.
“The support I receive from Vario is invaluable in ensuring each assignment is the right fit for my situation. The team is consistently available and helpful, and the clout of Pinsent Masons adds to the confidence I feel walking into new environments.”
Obviously, you have to plan ahead for this type of lifestyle and make sure you have the funds to support yourself if the market is slow or if your business needs your full-time attention. But I honestly don’t think I’d have been able to make my dream a reality without working as a Vario. It’s been a transformational experience for me, facilitating my entrepreneurial spirit and giving me the right work-life balance.’
READ ANOTHER OF OUR STORIES
Ellie Wood
A New Avenue for a Qualified Junior Lawyer.
Entering the world of legal work during a global pandemic. Joining Vario’s legal bench helped this junior lawyer gain precious legal experience.
Ellie Wood
Colin Sloan
Sourcing rich legal work through Vario
Experienced Lawyer Colin has been able to find exciting short-term legal projects through Vario, allowing him to enjoy a much more flexible lifestyle.
Colin Sloan
Andrew McLean
Vario within the Financial Services sector
Andrew has been a Vario for almost three years and has spent much of that time on assignment with a major bank. Quite a change from his previous life as in-house counsel for a whiskey manufacturer!
Andrew McLean
Elaine Quinn
Vario and founder of The Conscious Lawyer
Elaine joined Vario in 2013 and has experience of both in-house and Pinsent Masons’ internal assignments. Alongside her three-day week as a lawyer, she has launched theconsciouslawyer.co.uk, a publication exploring a more mindful approach to law.
Elaine Quinn
Kate Halliwell
Vario within Banking and Finance
Having been a Vario for four years, Kate enjoys the flexibility that comes with being a freelance lawyer. In her current full-time role, she works from home one day a week, allowing her to stay involved in family life and achieve the balance that matters to her.
Kate Halliwell
Doris Woo
Vario specialising in IP law
After graduating with a degree in computer science, Doris began working in the IT sector. A colleague then suggested one day that she should consider pursuing a career within IP Law as she would be best placed for it with her existing technical knowledge.
Doris Woo
Meg Berlin
Vario and founder of Dancing Vine
A natural-born multipotentialite with a true portfolio career, Meg continues to work in-house for leading international companies whilst completing a Psychotherapy degree, establishing a private therapy practice, and running a ‘mindful wine’ company, www.dancingvine.co.uk.
Meg Berlin
Rose Johnstone
Belfast-based Vario
Based in Belfast, Rose joined the Vario community early on in her career, and has already worked on a variety of assignments. Rose shares with us her philosophy on life and work, and how Vario has given her the independence and control she desires.
Rose Johnstone
Ross McAlister
Paralegal Vario
Ross is a paralegal based in Edinburgh who signed up to Vario to gain further exposure and experience in law ahead of commencing his training contract.
Ross McAlister
Samantha Byrne
Paralegal Vario
Samantha is a paralegal soon to start her training contract. She joined Vario to gain a greater understanding of work and the legal industry while enjoying a flexible work-life balance.
Samantha Byrne
Alan Blinder
Family, friends, fitness, food and fun.
Freelancing as a Vario allows Alan to have more time for what he values most in life.
Alan Blinder
Lisa Akinrele
Passions for travel, fashion and foreign languages.
Becoming a freelancing Vario allows Lisa to dedicate time to following her passions but also work on high-quality assignments.
Lisa Akinrele
Jaimie Hunter
Training for a Traineeship.
Ahead of commencing her training contract, Jaimie is gaining experience and skills as a Vario.
Jaimie Hunter
Zoe Harris
A Class Act.
Working as a Vario, Zoe is able to pursue her passion for acting as well as a career as a lawyer.
Zoe Harris
Lola Dawson
Smelling the Sweet Roses of Life.
Junior Lawyer Lola decided to forego the traditional career in law and became a freelancer instead. She’s now reaping the rewards.
Lola Dawson
Rachel Wood
From practising solicitor to project management. Rachel found a permanent position through Vario.
Rachel originally qualified as a solicitor in corporate law, moving from a fee earning solicitor role at 5 PQE into a PSL position at McGrigors LLP in their corporate team as one of the firm’s first PSL lawyers.
Rachel Wood
Michael Thomas
Growing up, Michael actually dreamed of studying architecture and design, but it was his traditionally-minded father that persuaded him to become a lawyer.
After working 8 years at a firm, Michael decided it was time to make a new start and launch his own firm in October 2017, he then discovered Vario.
Michael Thomas
Will Buswell
From Lab to Law
After years studying life sciences, Paralegal Will Buswell is now seeking new challenges in the legal world.
Will Buswell
Nicola Allan
Nicola always had a passion for illustration, but her professional career steered her towards law. Working as a Vario, she can now enjoy both
Nicola enjoys seeing more of the world and her lifestyle needs a flexible career to support it. Working as a freelance lawyer through Vario allows her to do just that.
Nicola Allan
Jenny Wilson
Employment Law to Musical Score.
From employment law to jazz; to Canada and back; to part-time working; to psychotherapy and coaching; Jenny Wilson is bringing as much colour as possible to her life as a Vario.
Jenny Wilson
Emma Sinclair
Seeking balance within a career path.
Significant travel, tight deadlines, demanding clients and a continually changing industry was keeping Emma away from quality time with her children. Joining Vario allowed her to
Emma Sinclair
Jacinta Bayard
From Merino Life to Marine Life.
After a successful career working in a combination of in-house and private practice roles in the city, Jacinta moved to the coast for a more relaxed pace of life but finds work which suits her through Vario.
Jacinta Bayard
Ian Barrie
Vario living in Italy and the UK
Ian works on Vario assignments predominately during the summer months, allowing him to fund and run his own independent ski travel business, www.glaciustravel.com, the rest of the year.
Ian Barrie
Ruth Chapman
Vario living in Italy and the UK
Ruth is a senior property lawyer and has worked as a Vario for five years, primarily within Pinsent Masons’ teams. She lives across Italy and the UK, and works almost exclusively from home.
Ruth Chapman
Kara McLaren
Returning to legal work after raising children
Not many people can boast a stint in Toronto, a successful legal career and raising four children all born within four years of each other, but Kara McLaren has managed it.
Kara McLaren
Jack Hamilton
From Placement to Paralegal
Jack gained invaluable experience ahead of his training contract through Vario, and also learned that Vario enables legal professionals to enjoy a better work-life balance than traditional employees.