Delegating can be difficult and scary, especially in a Law firm, where a little mistake could mean jeopardizing your profit margin.
When you delegate tasks, the first step is giving very detailed instructions to someone you know is competent and trustworthy. If you only give a bunch of papers and a deadline, you are likely just creating more work for yourself.
We also know that picking the right assistant is complicated. Luckily, some staffing agencies make the selection process and provide you with the most qualified staff so you can delegate and enjoy the benefits that delegating has.
Organization
Losing an important document can be a nightmare, and can often translate into potentially losing money. Avoid the mistake of being the only one who knows where documents are. Instead, delegate the task of keeping track of your documents, and additionally, keep a digital version of all your files to ensure they will never be lost.
The perfect way to keep everything at hand is by having your legal assistant create a system that allows you and them to have the document and an extra copy just in case. This way the information never gets lost.
More time on what matters
When you spend time on what matters most for your firm, you create more revenue. Focus on creating more relationships with clients, expanding your business, and reinforcing your reputation while others do your administrative work. Time-consuming administrative tasks are needed to keep everything running, but they don’t bring the money to the table.
When delegating, the most important thing is to get the tasks that are less important done in a timely manner so you can focus on what’s really important. As a result, not only will your firm increase its profit, but you’ll find yourself with more free time on your hands.
Productivity increase
Getting the most work done is essential for a productive and successful practice. By delegating your tedious tasks, you assure that they are performed by someone who knows how to handle them better and faster than you. Let your legal assistant deal with managing your daily tasks and enjoy having a stress-free practice.
Balance personal and professional life
Having a balance is just as important for your personal life as it is for your business. Once you become overwhelmed with the amount of work, you don’t enjoy it anymore, and it can be perceived in the way you interact with your clients, which can be detrimental to your firm.
Delegating the tasks that are important but not urgent creates a better work/life balance for you and keeps your practice in a continuous rhythm.
According to Kerith Kentish, Vice President of the Anguilla Bar Association, the most important thing is to spend time with friends and family.
“When I can, I try to eat lunch with my grandmother. It creates a moment to de-stress, even if she wants to talk about my work and what I am doing. The point is that I get to spend time with her”.
It is also important to have a good relationship with yourself and dedicate some leisure time outside of work, feel free to delegate and take mini-vacations from time to time.
Better Time Tracking
Working on your own can be stressful and time-consuming. Meetings and appointments can be forgotten or lost in a busy agenda, that’s why it’s important to have someone to remind you when, where, and with whom you have to meet every day.
Keeping track of all the meetings allows you to know how much time you’re spending on each case and client. An executive assistant can do that for you, they also can move items accordingly to ensure the highest-priority tasks are accomplished on time.
As lawyer Joleena Louis says “As a solo, it can be easy to fall into the habit of waiting until the end of the month to write down what work you did on each case.” By delegating the management of your agenda you’re taking control of your schedule and can track how many meetings you had and how long they were.
Build your prestige
For lawyers, their reputation is everything but is only as good as their last case. That’s why it’s crucial to establish your firm as successful and trustworthy, and the best way to do that today is on social media.
Social media is a powerful tool and it can get you a ton of clients, but only if you use it right. Let’s be honest, not everyone has the time to sit down and plan a week of content, track all the analytics and analyze the results just to start the pattern all over again next week.
The best way to establish your reputation in social media is by delegating it to someone who is an expert on the matter. Not only a community manager but a marketing assistant who can do all those things so you don’t have to worry about it.
Create better lasting relationships with your clients
If you have 10 clients waiting for their case resolution, keep them informed and make them feel cared for by delegating the clients’ updates to an assistant.
If you’d prefer to give them the update yourself, ask your assistant to put together a report. The important thing is that you and the client feel comfortable.
Delegating can feel like a dangerous task but with the right people by your side, you can be certain all your work will be done in the best way possible.
About the author:
Pricila Reyes is a Marketing Specialist working for getstafi.com. With a background in copywriting, she is passionate about technology and business and is always happy to share tips on how to make things easier for entrepreneurs. She was born and raised in Mexico and after spending several years in Asia far from her loved ones, she now understands the importance of prioritizing time on what matters, as is it the most valuable currency we own.
