Any lawyer consultants about? What's it like?

[LaTook]

hi all have posted this in freelance/self-employed section but would really appreciate some advice from self-employed/consultant lawyers.. Mumblechum?? Anybody else??

I wonder if any of you have any experience/advice on joining a partnership on a consultancy basis?

I am currently employed, on maternity leave, due back in sept. For various reasons I don't want to go back and have been offered a consultancy contract.

Do any of you have any advice on becoming a consultant? What will I need to consider? I'm having a meeting regarding the offer next week, what should I be asking them?

The main things I think I will need to take into consideration at present are:

Income not guaranteed
No benefits (pension mat leave xmas parties )
am I capable of generating work/how do I do this (I will be fine at retaining clients)
Tax returns

The biggest upside for me is the fact that the consultancy contract will allow me to qualify in law (something that my current employers will now not do, a reason why I am leaving). The downside is the loss of a very good guaranteed wage

The offer sounds too good to be true flexible working, working from home etc can somebody give me some good down to earth advice. Is consultancy work a really hard road to tread or actually a very useful and viable option for working mothers?