Key insights from our Obelisk Live webinar with Satinder Kaur Tamber
Freelance legal consulting offers freedom, variety and the chance to build a portfolio career, but it also requires planning, organisation and a proactive mindset. In our latest in the series of Obelisk Live “Getting Work-Ready” webinars, Satinder shared her practical advice for making ad-hoc consulting a success.
1. Ad Hoc Work Requires Initiative and Learning
Flexible freelance roles often require an initial review of tasks, and there may be elements you’re not completely sure of. Be ready to read up, research and ask questions to fully understand them.
Use trusted resources like MBL or LexisNexis to stay up to date with laws, regulations and market trends. Continuous learning is key, especially when you’re working remotely and across multiple clients.
2. CV Preparation and First Impressions
Satinder suggests that consultants tailor their CV for each practice area, assignment and client. Highlight relevant achievements and keep several versions of your CV and bio on hand, updated for different assignments, so you can respond quickly to opportunities. A clear, targeted CV also makes it easier for Obelisk to match you to suitable roles and fill your available capacity.
3. Managing Multiple Clients
Another important tip was to plan your schedule in advance, leaving space for emergencies or urgent client requests. Pencil in short (around 15-minute) weekly check-ins with clients to maintain visibility, you can always cancel if not needed.
Keep a record of all interactions and time spent on tasks, updating your timesheets daily for accuracy and transparency. Documenting decisions and agreements clearly prevents misunderstandings, and organised email systems with client-specific folders help track communications efficiently.
4. Client Communication and Transparency
Client management requires the consultant to keep their clients informed about progress, delays or complexities. If you can’t take on work immediately, let them know when you’ll review and complete it.
Equally important is maintaining a strong relationship with Obelisk – by keeping us in the loop, we can support you and step in with difficult conversations if needed. Transparency with both clients and Obelisk builds trust and helps secure repeat work.
5. Understand your financial security needs
Whilst on demand legal work offers flexibility, it may not always provide a consistent income. It is ideal for easing into full-time consulting, supplementing part-time roles, or adding variety to your workload. In order to plan, it’s good to understand market conditions and gauge client demand.
If you are already an Obelisk consultant, we can help you switch between on demand work and part-time/full-time assignments according to your available capacity and needs so that we can help provide you with more financial stability.
Setting Yourself Up for Success
Our experience has taught us over 15 years now that that success comes from keeping communication open, staying organised, and cultivating strong client and agency connections, these are key to securing repeat work. Make the most of tools and resources to upskill, stay commercial, and keep your work running smoothly. Keeping up to date with changes in legislation and industry trends will help you continue to deliver real value to your clients.
Ad-hoc work also gives you flexibility. You can plan holidays or personal commitments without worrying. Most UK ad-hoc contracts are outside IR35, you can contract via your PSC and work remotely from outside the UK, as long as you’re not a UK tax resident. This flexibility means you can balance your personal life with professional commitments more easily.
Don’t forget to look after yourself. Short breaks, walks, and some downtime help you stay focused and energised. Each assignment has the potential to become the start of a long-term, fruitful relationship, so invest in your network both with clients and within the teams you work with. Be proactive, if you spot an issue or an opportunity, flag it early. And always keep a clear record of decisions and agreements to avoid misunderstandings and show professionalism.
Interested in working Ad-hoc? Contact the Client Services team to find out more.