One of the most exciting parts of becoming a consultant solicitor or lawyer is the independence it gives you. As you grow your practice, you may wonder if you can hire or build a team. The short answer is yes, you can grow your practice and bring people on board, but the way you do this depends on the type of arrangement you choose.
As a consultant solicitor or lawyer, you can absolutely build a team under your agreement. This could include fee-earning or non-fee-earning consultants who work alongside you. These individuals are engaged as self-employed consultant solicitors, not as employees. If, however, you would prefer to take on staff as employees, the situation is a little different.
To hire an employee, you would need to register as an employer with HMRC and take responsibility for things like tax and national insurance deductions, workplace pensions, and employment rights. Because of the legal and financial implications, it’s essential to seek professional advice before going down this route.
For most consultant solicitors, engaging others on a consultancy basis makes the most sense. The key is ensuring the relationship is genuinely one of self-employment, not disguised employment. That means having a clear, well-drafted consultancy agreement in place that outlines things like how work is provided, the level of control you have, and the duration of the relationship.
At Taylor Rose, we understand that many solicitors and lawyers are ambitious and want to grow beyond working alone. That’s why we offer tailored support if you decide to expand. If you bring fee-earning consultants into your practice, we’ll guide you through the onboarding process, provide access to our systems and resources, and even arrange training sessions where needed.
You’ll oversee your consultants much like a sole practitioner, but without the overwhelming administrative burden of running a traditional firm. Our dedicated Consultant Concierge team will also be there to answer questions and provide support as your practice grows. Many of our consultant solicitors and lawyers have successfully transitioned with existing team members or gone on to build larger teams, creating what is effectively a “business within a business”.
Expanding your team can be hugely rewarding, but it does come with responsibilities. Before making the leap, think carefully about cash flow, whether you have the billing base to comfortably support additional team members, your capacity to supervise and mentor others, whether your client demand justifies expansion, and how managing a team will affect your lifestyle balance. These aren’t reasons to hold back; they’re simply part of ensuring your next step is the right one for you.
At Taylor Rose, we want our consultants to thrive. For some, that means working independently with complete freedom. For others, it means building a team and creating something bigger. Both paths are possible. Whether you want to bring existing colleagues with you, recruit new consultant solicitors, or even explore employing staff, we’ll support you every step of the way.
With our resources, compliance framework, IT systems, and marketing support, you’ll have the freedom to grow your practice without being weighed down by unnecessary red tape.
If you’re considering expanding your consultancy practice, or even just curious about how it might work, our Consultant Recruitment Team would be delighted to talk through the options. Call us on 020 3551 8100 or complete our Contact Us form, and let’s explore how you can take your consultancy practice to the next level.