Profiling our interim talent

Kerri Bridges is currently working at a multinational tech company.

"I became a consultant in 2022, shortly after qualifying. As a disputes lawyer, I found working in private practice and the increasing pressure of billable hours took away the enjoyment of my day-to-day work. Moving to consulting allowed me to get involved in large complex cases and absorb the unique details of every case.

Since joining Konexo, I have engaged with them on two placements. I began working with the Eversheds Sutherland Litigation and Disputes Management team in 2023 as an interim consultant. I had a fantastic time being back in private practice, working on significant litigation and arbitration matters for the firm and supporting excellent colleagues in a large, cross-border team. I am currently working on my second engagement with Konexo at a major technology company in their litigation and regulatory team.

This is truly a unique opportunity and I am really excited about the cases that I get to work on every day. Konexo’s reputation and their supportive team made becoming a legal consultant feel like the right decision from the start. Since becoming a consultant, I have developed significantly as a lawyer thanks to the opportunities that have been presented to me through Konexo. I feel more positive about my career than ever and having the flexibility to choose roles most suited to my interests has been both liberating and rewarding."

Tom Feeney has spent a large part of this year in the Corporate M&A team at one of the world’s largest financial institutions.

I became a legal consultant in May this year after returning from a year of travelling. My original plan was to look for a permanent role, however, I found myself struggling to get interviews despite my strong prior legal experience. After meeting with a mentor from my time in private practice, she advised that I apply to Konexo. Within a couple of weeks, I started my first placement and although it was meant to be a three month role, I am still here eight months later.

I am currently working in the Corporate M&A legal team at one of the world’s largest banks and gaining useful insight into an in-house working environment at a very early stage in my career. Konexo have been very supportive throughout my placement and have provided me with all of the resources I need. Their frequent networking events have also enabled me to meet other contractors and learn from their experiences, which in turn has redefined my outlook on my own career.

Consulting has enabled me to get back on my feet after a break and kickstart my career again. In an industry known more for its conservatism than innovation, consulting brings a level of variety and flexibility that I've found very refreshing. Though I'm still in my first placement, I'm intrigued to see where future roles will take me and what new skills I'll learn.

Florence Steadman began her career as a paralegal and has since qualified, working as an interim consultant with a global industrials client.

Before joining Konexo, I was working as a freelance paralegal. During the COVID pandemic, I embarked on creating my own training contract which allowed me to undergo my training seats with specialist lawyers who had inspired me along my journey. Once qualified, my entrepreneurial streak led me to pursue legal tasks as a consultant, permitting me to work on a variety of commercial assignments whilst building close relationships with clients. I was drawn to Konexo and as a division of Eversheds Sutherland, I knew that they were well established and could guide me on my journey as a consultant. Their support in the initial stages when joining was invaluable.

I am currently working with Konexo on a global industrials client and my broad experience within law has enabled me to run legal compliance and training projects for them, simultaneously aiding their day-to-day commercial review and negotiation of construction contracts. Legal consulting has allowed me to fit in other ad-hoc legal work supporting other law firms and businesses which enables me to continue my involvement in private practice. I am extremely grateful that consulting gives me this freedom and allows me to work in a flexible way.

The Konexo team have been supportive throughout my journey and have organised multiple networking events, including their ‘lunch and learn’ sessions and training forums that they partner with Eversheds Sutherland colleagues to keep consultants up to date with changes in law, regulation and procedure. Concurrently, this has enabled me to meet the Konexo team in person whilst facilitating the sharing of the group’s experiences in practice. 

Sarah Millington, a previous client of Eversheds Sutherland, joined Konexo as a consultant in 2023 and has since embarked on two interim placements.

I became a consultant in September 2023 after my role with my previous employer was made redundant. After many years of working in a permanent role for one employer, I decided to take a change in direction and test out the world of consultancy. I knew Konexo well as I had previously used them to recruit contractors into my team in my previous role, so it was very easy to “cross the line” and become a contractor myself.

Since joining Konexo, I have worked on two placements, both in the financial services sector. This is not a sector that I have previously worked in but after 20+ years in the commercial outsourcing world I’ve relished the challenge of learning a new skillset and adding those strings to my bow. Consulting has allowed me to see different management styles and approaches and it is also oddly reassuring to see that the same problems with contracts resurface time after time regardless of the industry in which you are working. I am a people person and have loved meeting new people, expanding my network and building relationships with entirely new teams.

Most importantly for me, consulting has allowed me to spend some precious time with my three young children. I have worked full time throughout my career, but my first placement was a four day a week contract and I was lucky enough to have two months off before starting my second placement which corresponded with the school holidays. I have treasured having some extended time with my boys who are – after all - only young once. Consulting has given me the opportunity to learn new skills, pivot into new industries and experience working in organisations that I may not have had the opportunity to enter. The flexibility and freedom that consulting provides are something that I cannot look back on.