Virtual paralegal solutions for a virtual law firm will help support the needs of your New York practice, while allowing you more time to grow your business.
Congratulations! You’ve finally launched your virtual law firm in New York. However, you struggle to find time to focus on the growth of your practice because you’re so busy performing day-to-day tasks. Finding the right paralegal solution for your virtual law firm is essential to the success of your practice.
Benefits of hiring a virtual paralegal for virtual law firms in New York
Outsourcing menial or repetitive tasks to a virtual paralegal is an efficient way to run your practice because it frees you up to focus on the most lucrative tasks (client billing), or activities that produce more of that work (marketing). It’s also cost-effective because you only pay a virtual paralegal for the work that you give them.
Some of the key benefits of using a virtual paralegal solution for virtual law firms include:
- Gaining the administrative support so you can focus on your practice
- Maintaining better work/life balance
- Improving the fluidity of your practice
- Paying for services you need only when you need them
- Avoiding the cost of providing employee benefits such as health insurance, vacation, sick time or taxes
Finding the right virtual paralegal solution for your virtual law practice
Finding a qualified paralegal who is also reliable and dedicated to the success of your practice can be a challenge. But there are resources out there to make this process a bit easier.
There are online placement agencies available to help connect you to a virtual paralegal in the New York area. These websites can get you started in your search for the ideal candidate to support the needs of your practice:
- Elance allows you to post your job at no cost and gives you instant access to paralegal professionals available to start working immediately.
- Virtual Paralegal Services offers a range of senior paralegal services in a variety of practices including real estate, contract administration, corporate and transactional.
- The Virtual Paralegal also has a wide range of service areas. For an hourly rate, their virtual paralegals can assist with tasks such as legal research, but also administrative services like website and logo design, accounting services and contracts.
Selecting the best virtual paralegal to meet the needs of your business
Although referral websites can be helpful in connecting you with a qualified candidate, you will still need to do your due diligence when selecting the right virtual paralegal. Always treat hiring a virtual paralegal the same way you would if you were hiring a full-time employee. You’ll want to hire candidates with the best experience and credentials, and who aligns with your professional values.
Always treat hiring a virtual paralegal the same as hiring someone for your physical space. Click To TweetWhen considering a candidate, find as much background information as possible regarding previous experience, expertise, certifications and recommendations. You can access this information through many referral websites; however, an established virtual assistant will have a visible online presence, such as a complete LinkedIn profile.
Key traits you should be looking for when selecting a virtual paralegal for your firm include:
- Reliability. Pay close attention to testimonials, reviews and recommendations before you hire a virtual paralegal to get a sense of the quality of their work. You want to ensure you’re putting your projects in good hands.
- Communication. Look carefully at writing samples to make sure his or her writing style is in line with what you want. Beyond writing, a successful virtual paralegal will provide frequent updates on a project’s status.
- Resourcefulness. A virtual paralegal should be able to offer solutions to problems and anticipate your needs.
- Accountability. An ideal virtual paralegal will complete projects accurately and in a timely manner. Since virtual paralegals are often paid hourly, you want someone who will be honest when they bill time.
Finally, a successful working relationship with any employee or freelancer will depend on how organized you are. This is especially true for someone you work with virtually. The more detailed you can be with the projects you assign in terms of your expectations, the more likely you will be satisfied with the work product you get back. Over time, as you develop a relationship with your virtual paralegal and they learn your work style, your assignments can get less structured.
It’s best to test out your virtual paralegal on a few low-risk projects with no deadlines. See how well they communicate with you, and whether the quality of their work product meets your needs, before you trust them with an important client project.
Outsourcing certain tasks to a virtual paralegal can free up time that will accelerate the growth and success of your practice. Like hiring a new employee, it takes a bit of time to cultivate a good virtual paralegal, but hiring the right one will make a material difference in the success of your virtual law practice.
