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© 2010 Kris L. Canaday - ParalegalSvcs4Attys™
FREELANCE PARALEGAL SERVICES FOR ATTORNEYS
As a legal practitioner, are you looking for a new way to manage your practice? Since you are here, the answer is probably, “Yes!” Regardless of your situation, freelance paralegal services can be an excellent decision for you and your practice. Most of the daily work you perform can be delegated to a virtual freelance paralegal just as you would delegate work to your regular paralegal or assistant. By outsourcing tasks you need not spend time on:
- You have more time to work on pressing matters, develop legal strategies, and increase your client base;
- You reduce your workload and stress; and
- You improve your work-life balance.
So many attorneys are overwhelmed today. Whether you work in-house for a corporate or governmental entity and have experienced a downsizing or hiring freeze, or you are a solo practitioner or small firm trying to grow your practice or keep it above water, you need not be overwhelmed. By using freelance paralegal services, you can reduce your workload without hiring and training an employee – an excellent business strategy if the workload exceeds current staffing abilities but is not quite adequate to hire someone.
Governmental agencies and institutions have been hit especially hard with budget cuts. If you are one of the many who are desperately working to manage an unprecedented caseload while struggling to cut costs in every corner, a virtual freelance paralegal will not only reduce your caseload, it will also reduce operating expenses in several significant categories including overhead, human resources, payroll, and benefits. (See, How can a [virtual] freelance paralegal improve your practice?)
Firms and solo practitioners who are reducing their hourly rate or cutting costs and overhead just to keep their practice open also profit from these cost-saving benefits. By utilizing a freelance paralegal, you can get the support you need and continue to serve your clients without cutting your fees even if you do not have the office space or equipment. As a small firm or solo practitioner, the added support also allows you more time to build your practice while lowering your clients’ legal fees.
How?
BENEFITS OF UTILIZING FREELANCE PARALEGAL SERVICES
By utilizing a freelance paralegal, you receive additional legal support when you need it without the expense of hiring and training an employee. Moreover, you pay only for the work performed rather than to have someone always on hand. (See, Freelance Paralegal Cost Analysis.) Virtual freelance paralegals are not employees; they are self-employed professionals offering their services to the legal community. As a result, you minimize your overhead and eliminate:
- the need for extra office space, furniture, equipment, and supplies;
- employment taxes, disability, unemployment, and workers’ compensation insurance;
- medical and dental insurance;
- SEP and retirement plans; and
- continuing education costs for employees.
In addition to reducing the costs associated with business, freelance paralegal services will improve your bottom line in other ways. By outsourcing substantive legal work to a virtual freelance paralegal, you increase your practice’s billable income while allowing you to focus your time on other matters.
Most importantly, though, the lower paralegal billing rate is a savings that can be extended to your clients. As the general public becomes increasingly aware of the skills paralegals bring to the table, many clients are demanding that their attorneys utilize a paralegal for as much legal work as possible, thereby lowering the client’s legal fees, improving client satisfaction, enhancing the client-firm relationship, and improving the firm’s reputation.
HOW IT WORKS
For many attorneys, the thought of outsourcing substantive legal work can be a bit intimidating. It doesn’t need to be. If you think about it, it’s really no different than how you are already practicing. As legal professionals, we are already connected 24/7 through email, Internet, virtual workspaces, smartphones, and/or networks. By working with a virtual freelance paralegal, you utilize the same methods and technologies you’re already using in your work. You will communicate with your virtual freelance paralegal the same way you communicate with your regular paralegal or your office when you are on the road, utilizing secure methods of communication.
Oftentimes, the question of what to outsource arises. The brochure, What is a Paralegal? includes general information on the types of tasks paralegals perform. If you know you need support but are unsure of what to delegate or how, let me know. I am happy to discuss your specific circumstances and make recommendations so you can receive the support you need. Be sure to review the Resources page of the site for additional information on paralegal utilization. You will find valuable information there that may answer many of your questions. Have more questions? Give me a call or send me an email.
Please note: Services are not provided to the general public; work is only performed under the direction of licensed attorneys. Attorney standing with the appropriate state bar association will be confirmed prior to commencing work.
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