Lawyer Career Changer Profile

Oliver Hunt

Starting a law firm

oliver-hunt

Legal Career

In-house sports management company, Solicitor, commercial, London

New Career(s)

Starting a law firm

Career Change Story

I had been in house for approximately 5 years. I loved where I was but there was no real career path there for me, salary would always be limited and I saw myself undertaking the same work for the next 5 years. I also identified a gap in the market. The three of us who set up the firm had various discussions about how it would work, we prepared a business plan and sounded out potential clients. After that it was a leap of faith. It was surprisingly easy to set the firm up initially from an administrative perspective but everything really hit home on day 1 sat round the kitchen table, unpacking the blackberry and thinking, right, what do we do now.

Career Change Reflections

Setting up and running my own firm has worked out better than I could ever have hoped. I love the freedom to win clients and to run my own life. It has different stresses - the need for continual work is crucial to ensure I am paid, and now we have various employees, to ensure they are paid as well. There is a very real responsibility for our staff. A new client win is a genuinely exciting occasion, and frankly a relief. I had always questioned whether law was really for me as I always felt it as bit limiting. Running our firm has allowed me to continue with the law but gives me the challenge of also running a business.