A consultant lawyer has been hired in a new role which will help others in the legal profession achieve a better work-life balance.
Mum-of-three and author Hannah Beko set up her own successful consultancy firm despite suffering chronic stress – and will now assist her team to do the same.
Now Hannah’s new role as head of mission at Legal Studio, will see her offering lawyers efficient ways of working fewer hours for more money.
She said: “I loved being a business owner, but I was starting to fall out of love with being a lawyer. I worked long hours, didn’t turn down any work and had no boundaries with demanding clients.”
Thanks to the new consultancy income, Hannah matched her partner’s salary and bought her dream home and a car – but then realised she had all the symptoms of chronic stress.
“I wasn’t living the dream anymore, but I couldn’t afford to reduce my income because of buying my dream house. After investing in my own training, mentoring and business support groups, I started to learn how to create the consultancy business I wanted to run rather than giving it up as I’d expected I would.
“I learned to delegate. I started charging properly and sacking clients who didn’t pay or were rude! I gradually imposed boundaries around my time, money and the use of my expertise.”
Now Hannah wants other lawyers to know the support it out there for the demanding profession.
Matt Dowell, Legal Studio director, said: “We are delighted to have Hannah join us to help deliver on the Legal Studio brand promise of helping lawyers to enjoy work. Reflecting on my own personal motivations, top of the list for me at the moment are freedom, control and financial security. This is what we want to deliver for all of the Legal Studio family and I know that Hannah will help us with that.”
Solicitor Ian McCann, who loved the idea of creating a place for consultant lawyers to call home for some time and believed Hannah’s values aligned well, said it was an easy decision to bring Hannah into the mix and grow Legal Studio in Leeds and Manchester.
He added: “Legal Studio exists to help lawyers enjoy work. We’re honoured to have Hannah join us to further that mission. I can’t wait to work with Hannah to further support our team to build legal businesses and lives that they enjoy. I’m also particularly excited by the upcoming launch of the Legal Studio Academy which will empower our team, old and new, to do just that.”
