Life as a Legal Consultant with Gazelle Law

Gazelle Law has some amazing legal consultants working with our start-up clients. We sat down with Claire Shepherd, one of our Gazelles, to find out about how and why she chose a career path in legal consultancy and how our model works for her.

Hi Claire! So to get us started, tell us a bit about your legal background, and how you ended up becoming a legal consultant.

I started off as an editor. One of the journals I was handling had a copyright issue, and I found it very interesting. So I thought, I'll go back and do a degree in law! I didn't realise it would be such a long road, but I'm really glad that I did it. 

I specialised in IP, tech and privacy from traineeship. I worked in private practice for seven years and in-house for about five. First, I worked for a company called TV Squared which involved a mix of tech and media and advertising, and then I worked for an agri-tech company as a legal director. I got to a point where I felt I could combine my private practice and in-house background and do legal consultancy to create a legal career with more flexibility.

How does a more flexible career path in law work for you professionally and personally?

I think many of us have got to the stage, especially over the past few years, where we realise we have so many different roles in our everyday lives to manage. I think that having a professional role as one of them that fits in with the other parts of your life is an absolute must. 

Legal consultancy is a great option, but it's particularly suited to lawyers with confidence and experience, because you do work independently and should be comfortable with that. 

I was thinking back recently to when I was a trainee, and I think it really helps to have a mentor by your side all the time, just to remind you how to do things, or to consult with. Katie, our founder at Gazelle Law, is such a great person to work with. She allows you to work independently, but she's there if you need her as a sounding board. 

What kind of start-up clients are you working with at Gazelle Law and has it been useful to have that in-house legal background?

I work with clients across a range of different industries but with a focus on tech, from software licencing resellers to electric vehicle manufacturers. Some clients have their own legal teams, and we support them by effectively becoming an extension of their in-house team; and for others, we work with the business directly. 

I would say that in-house legal experience is really important. Start-up clients are perceptive and can tell if you're not commercially minded! The way we work at Gazelle Law is understanding what the client needs and giving them legal advice that is tailored to their business and commercially focused. We always go one step beyond just giving the business the legal jargon, and try to help the business to make an informed decision.   

What makes you want to work with Gazelle specifically over other legal consultancies?

Our founder Katie at Gazelle Law is very down-to-earth, easy to work with and allows you the flexibility to work independently. I like the fact that it's a small business. I enjoy working in this hybrid situation where I get to manage my legal career, but with someone like Katie to be able to bounce ideas off and consult with.

How do you see legal consultancy evolving in the future?

Legal consultancy is an excellent option for all businesses – whether start-up or more established. I believe it’s here to stay, as it provides a business with a degree of commercial understanding and insight that can be difficult to find in the traditional realm. 

As a career choice, for the right person, legal consultancy is a welcome change from the traditional structure. I do believe traditional law firm structures can be very hierarchical to the detriment of productivity. Less open-minded, more rigid law firms often use learning techniques which, especially for trainees and those less experienced, can have the effect of actually quashing productivity, rather than boosting it. A structure like we have at Gazelle Law allows more experienced lawyers to have the independence and flexibility they need, and for those starting out to grow and be more productive. Each person is valued.. I believe that lawyers are often under-valued, especially when they're starting out. From that point of view, I hope we continue through awareness and different legal structures to be disruptive in breaking down traditional structures and ways of thinking. 

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us Claire, to see how legal consultancy with Gazelle Law works for you!

Are you a legal consultant looking for the fast pace of the start-up work but with flexibility and balance? We’d love to chat. Get in touch at katie@gazellelaw.com