Lisa Miller
Lisa Miller is a legal compliance associate and is the latest member of the Vario hub to share their experience as a freelancer within the legal profession. Our Flexible Services offering turns 10 this year so we think it is more important than ever to share the stories of the people who help make Vario what it is today.
Law always seemed a good fit for Lisa. Since she was a child she’s always been analytical, curious and crucially an avid reader. You’d be right in saying that the legal profession looks like the perfect fit for her. Lisa’s training was slightly different to most other members of the hub because she went to law school in New York then started to practice straight after her graduation because there are no training contracts.
She grew up in Los Angeles, California and by her own admission, many of her influences cam from TV or black and white films. Unsurprisingly, her favourites were any films where Katherine Hepburn played a lawyer. After her three years at law school in New York, Lisa took the bar exam and then got to live her childhood dream as a lawyer, albeit not as Katherine Hepburn.
How then did Lisa go from (nearly) Katherine Hepburn in New York City to a freelance legal consultant with Vario? Like many people, the Covid pandemic proved the trigger to force her to revaluate her lifestyle and what she truly wanted from life. The answer she arrived at was that she needed a challenge from the work she did whilst still being able to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Lisa Miller
Vario Freelancer
Prior to freelancing, I did not have work-life balance. As a contractor, the dynamic is different, and I find that I have time for personal obligations and interests without having the negotiate for that time. I'm sleeping more, eating better and am more present in my relationships.
Lisa’s most recent assignment saw her work with a small independent investment consultancy firm. Even though she had no direct experience of in investment consultancy, she is an experienced Head of Legal, and conveniently they were looking to build their legal function. Her transferable skills were exactly what the client needed and now their new legal team are in place.
Lisa Miller
Vario Freelancer
I've had an opportunity to learn about investment advisory services whilst working with some really great people. I've also had the opportunity to get involved with the administration of an employee share scheme which has been really interesting.
Throughout her time on assignment, there have been plenty of times where Lisa has felt the need to ask for help with regard to subject matter expertise. Fortunately, both Vario and Pinsent Masons as the wider firm have been able to help on these occasions, be it with regard to privacy or financial services matters. This support network is a key part of the Vario Flexible Services offering because it helps freelancers to push their boundaries and explore new areas of work that they might not otherwise have been able to.
Lisa Miller
Vario Freelancer
My experience with Vario has been great! The varied nature of the work provides for exciting learning and development opportunities that you just don't get from webinars.
The jump to freelancing can sometimes be daunting, but Lisa is keen to set the record straight that there’s nothing to be afraid of. It took her 6 years to make the move with her main concern being that there just might not be consistent work. Within two weeks of leaving her previous employment though, she was starting her first Vario project. She’s not looked back since then and she hopes that other lawyers will follow her example.
If you’re contemplating making this same leap, please get in touch with us and see what a career with Vario can offer you. However, if you’re interested in discovering more Vario Stories first, you can do so here.