Paralegal support services offer many benefits. These benefits are quickly identifiable with the help of a simple bullet-list – I think I’ve actually done that already, though not complete – but that hardly begins to describe them. I was thinking about how much paper would be necessary to fully explain each of those benefits. Then I realized that it would probably equate to a book, so I think I’ll stick with abbreviated explanations separated by benefit. At least for now. So what’s first?
Paralegal support services saves time
Big time. (Yes, pun intended.)
Significant time.
Considering paralegals can undertake almost everything their attorneys do (save for that which constitutes UPL – see, Paralegal Do’s and Don’ts for a brief overview or Ethical Boundaries of a California Paralegal for a thorough and excellent review), you effectively have the ability to free-up as little or as much time as you desire; get as little or as much help as you want (or need).
Is it necessary to only seek support when you have so much work that you can’t handle everything? No. Growth is always good and we always want to have it, but there are many stages of growth that command very different requirements.
Paralegal services for solos and small firms
For example, you may be in a position where you’ve traditionally done everything yourself and things are going well. Well enough that you have plenty of work to stay busy. Enough that you no longer have time to spend on client relations, marketing, or other aspects of your practice that you’d like to focus on. That’s good growth. But maybe not good enough to hire assistance. In those cases, project- or task-based support gives you the time, flexibility, and freedom, with very little cost to you, to focus on those aspects of your practice that you no longer have time to devote.
Task-based paralegal support
How? Easy. You delegate only what you want, only when you want. No more. No less. You’re in control. Maybe you have more than usual this week and would love to delegate that filing or those reporting letters – something that would take only an hour or so but would be a huge help. Done. How much did you pay to not worry about that task? Not much. Only the amount of time it took to actually do the work. No overhead, hiring, training time or costs, employee costs, taxes, or insurance to pay. What if, next week, you aren’t that busy and you don’t need help? How much did you pay to know you’ve got support available, even though you didn’t need it? Nothing. Now that’s called peace of mind.
Paralegal services compliment your needs and growth
What if you find yourself needing support more and more often? No problem. Paralegal support services are there when you need them. The support you receive grows with you. No more. No less. As your practice grows, you have the ability to delegate more and more as you want and need to 1) stay on top of your caseload, 2) keep your clients happy, and 3) maintain (or regain) a work-life balance while growing your practice.
Paralegal support services for large firms, corporations, and governmental entities
Does that mean paralegal support services are only for sole practitioners and small firms? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Staff reduction? Hiring freeze? Managing the same caseload once handled by three or four individuals? Sound familiar? Talk about job security. Talk about stress. And, talk about no work-life balance. Or unhappy clients. With so much work, what gets done is pretty much whatever becomes the next emergency, urgent matter, or deadline. Even with a hiring freeze, contracting out services is generally allowed. Why? Because it provides a means of getting done the work that so desperately needs to be done without incurring overhead costs and expenses, extensive hiring and training costs, or any of the other employment costs that the firm, corporation, or agency has reduced from the budget, including employment-related taxes, unemployment insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, vacation and sick time, and healthcare and retirement benefits.
Full-time support with paralegal support services
Established attorneys, firms, corporations, and agencies that traditionally have paralegal staff handle all aspects of the work also turn to paralegal support services for their paralegal support when they’re looking for a non-traditional approach to minimizing overhead and lowering client fees. Their paralegal support services handle all the same tasks as a full-time employee – from setting up and analyzing new client matters, to client contact and case work-up, through settlement or trial prep. You can have all your every day paralegal work performed by paralegal support services.
Conclusion
Paralegal support is whatever you want it to be. It can be occasional, regular, or full-time support. Project-based, piece-meal, task-oriented, or everything. As much or as little, as often or infrequent, as your needs may be. Always there when you need it. The support you receive is flexible to grow and change with you as do your needs and various stages of practice. Time can be on your side with paralegal support services.