York-based Rachel Roche has co-written a Law Society of England and Wales-backed book to help solicitors set up their own practices at one of the most challenging times for the legal profession.
Roche, of Roche Legal, is a multi-award winning solicitor who was commissioned by the Law Society to write the book, How to Start a Law Firm, with Darren J Sylvester, who set up his own practice, DJS Law Solicitors, in 2016.
The 110,000 word book is officially released tomorrow, with the authors hoping it will become a groundbreaking template for solicitors wanting to set up their own practices.
Roche started writing her 55,000 word contribution last year, which marked the 100th anniversary of women being allowed to practise law in the UK.
She said: “It was important to me to be able to produce a book that would help lawyers wanting to set up on their own, particularly given the current problems. In response to the pandemic, we added a final chapter entitled Covid-19: The ultimate disaster recovery test.”
Roche and Sylvester committed to writing How to Start a Law Firm because such a resource did not yet exist. Roche explained: “A number of people have contacted me in recent years asking for advice about how to set up on their own and there wasn’t this kind of resource.”
“I set up my own practice nearly seven years ago when there was no manual or template to work from and that is why I felt it was important to get everything I have learnt down on paper, which helped consolidate my own ideas. Darren and I have brought different strengths to the book and pulled on the experience of the 16 case study contributors.”
Roche added: “I started writing my 55,000 words contribution last year, which was the 100th anniversary of the passage of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 that meant women could enter the legal profession in the UK and now we are able to launch the book exactly a year after we signed our deal with the Law Society.”
“The launch is being chaired by Stephanie Boyce who next year will be one of two black women taking the presidency and vice presidency of the Law Society.”
