Lucy Burrell Vario Stories
Lucy has experienced a full range of legal careers, having worked in-house, in private practice and now also as a freelance consultant. Having completed her training in West Yorkshire she has enjoyed a varied career within the profession and in this edition, we shine the spotlight on her experience with Pinsent Masons Vario.
For as long as she can remember, Lucy wanted to become a lawyer. Just over a year ago, she found searching for a new way of working because the more traditional practice roles no longer fit her career aspirations.
Private practice gave me fantastic exposure to a complex and varied caseload, but it didn’t really provide the work life balance I was seeking. Working in-house gave me that balance, but I missed the challenge and variety of work.
Becoming a mother was a big factor in Lucy needing a change and she decided that freelancing was the ideal way to balance high quality assignments with having time to be ‘mum’. Over the last few months she has done just that, working on a large real estate finance deal which at the time of writing was nearing completion.
Throughout this project she has still been able to spend genuine quality time with her family whilst still balancing her own personal interests. Outside of work Lucy trains with a professional boxing gym three times a week and as if that wasn’t enough, she also works as a Zumba Instructor!
I’ve achieved a balance that I didn’t think was possible just a few years ago when I worked in private practice in the traditional sense.
Freelancing has given Lucy the flexibility and control that she needed from her career, but this doesn’t mean there haven’t been challenges. Working without a PA is big change from private practice, but Lucy has used this challenge as an opportunity to become a better more independent lawyer. It’s no surprise that she recommends freelancing and she will no doubt continue to be a valuable asset to the Vario team.
If you're interesting in finding out more about our Flexible Legal Services or becoming a Vario freelancer, you can do so here. You can even check out our previous Vario Stories to read more about the experiences our people have with us!