Solicitor welcomes freelance success following North East BIC support

A North East solicitor has unlocked her entrepreneurial talents with the launch of her own consultancy.

Rebecca Calvert set up her own legal consultancy in 2019 after becoming one of the first in the country to capitalise on a new rule passed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) allowing solicitors to trade on a freelance basis.

Having accumulated over 10 years’ experience working in the sector, Rebecca approached the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) for support prior to setting up Rebecca Calvert Legal Services.

Business adviser Ron Anderson helped Rebecca develop her business plan and apply for the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) Programme.

Rebecca commented: “The NEA Programme was fantastic. It’s daunting setting up a business and the programme really gave me the confidence to make the leap.

“Although I’d had the idea for some time, you’re always asking yourself: ‘Why has nobody done this before? Why has it not been allowed? Is there actually a market for it?’”

18 months since the launch of the business, the firm has welcomed on board a number of private clients as well as receiving interest from a number of potential commercial customers.

Rebecca added: “Aside from the convenience and flexibility of my offering, I think what really makes the service stand out is the competitive rates I offer. As a mobile Freelance Solicitor, I don’t have anywhere near the overheads that hang over larger law firms.

“My service is also a lot more personal, I’m an SRA accredited solicitor and manage everything from start to finish. All too often when dealing with larger practices, people speak to secretaries or assistant staff and not the solicitor themselves, which isn’t the case here.

“I can meet clients at convenient times, whether it’s evenings, weekends or lunch hours, at a place convenient for them. I feel as though I’m bringing a modern aspect to the sector.”

Business adviser Ron Anderson added: “It’s been a real pleasure working with Rebecca, she identified a huge gap in the market and moved quickly to fill it.

“There’s nothing else quite like this in the North East and we’re confident she’ll go on to be a huge success as the business continues to grow.”

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