Author Archive

Be selective when making social media connections.

Online social media friends and followers represent part of my professional network.  For those of us doing business virtually, social media contacts are a major part of that professional network.  Do you realize that social media contacts can help or hinder online reputation and credibility?

In personal face-to-face relationships with business acquaintances and personal friends, sometimes it becomes necessary to draw boundaries.  Simply put, there are some people with whom I do not want to be associated, either personally or professionally.  I am quite sure that will upset someone, but it is the truth.  Some relationships do not benefit us.

This truth also applies to online social media connections.  For over 18 months I have worked diligently to build a professional network using Twitter and LinkedIn targeting people connected to the legal industry and/or virtual services.  My accounts were opened specifically for the purpose of business networking.  More recently, I have added a FaceBook personal page and business fan page.  As a result of that networking, I have benefited from numerous opportunities which would not have occurred had I not been building relationships via social media.

I was recently contacted via email by someone wanting to connect on Twitter, but the individual had been blocked.  I reviewed the account in question, and immediately discovered why the block had been placed.  There was a pattern of language and subject matter which I did not feel was appropriate in my professional network.

Policies and rules are usually established because of abuses or inappropriate action.  Social media is no different.  Unfollow, block and reporting spam features were created for a reason.  But, do you ever use them?

If you do not have a personal or business social media policy, I encourage you to start the new year by evaluating what you want to gain from social media. Do your followers and the people you are following meet the “ideal connection” profile?  Are you selective?

The name of the game is not getting the most followers.  I have read about numerous instances of individuals who decided the mass following they had spent hours developing was doing them no good.  So, these individuals unfollowed everyone and started over, building real relationships.

For me, my personal and business social media accounts are for connecting and building real, authentic, credible relationships with people who have similar interests.  I have invested time, energy and resources in building this network, and I want to preserve its integrity.

It’s my network.  I can block you, and I will block you if I do not believe our interests are aligned, or if your content falls outside what I deem appropriate for my network.

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Today’s guest post contains great tips for paralegal job security.  I know these tips are valid because I have personally experienced the rewards of applying these practices.  I might add that they apply to traditional paralegals, freelance paralegals and virtual paralegals.

Thanks, Seth, for reminding paralegals of these important facts!

7 Ways for Paralegals to Become Indispensable to Employers
By Seth Davis, ServeNow.com

The paralegal profession is bucking the roller-coaster trend of the rest of the labor market and heading sharply upward. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that employment of paralegals and legal assistants will grow 28 percent between 2008 and 2018. The good news for paralegals is that the profession is booming. The less-obvious downside is that more people joining the paralegal ranks means more competition for open jobs.

If you’re a paralegal, now is the time to bring out your competitive side; you need to separate yourself from the pack and make yourself indispensable to employers. We have gathered a list of ways that you can increase your value as a paralegal, with some great advice from former National Federation of Paralegal Associations President Georgette Lovelace, RP.

1. Take Your Education Higher
College degrees have become more important than ever before in employers’ eyes. Paralegals once were able to jump right into jobs without having associate’s degrees or bachelor’s degrees, but modern employers have begun to ask that paralegals furnish a degree as a prerequisite of employment.

“When I became a paralegal, I went to school to earn a bachelor’s degree and that was 30 years ago,” Lovelace said. “At the time the paralegal profession was new and not many people went to school for legal studies. Nowadays it’s almost required.”

Lovelace explained that there aren’t many places in the country where paralegals can get by without higher education, and that some states are creating regulations that require it.

“We’re approaching the time when employers won’t hire a paralegal without formal education,” she said.

2. Don’t Rest on Your Laurels After Earning Your Degree
Employers like to see that paralegals are on a constant quest for self-improvement through learning. Paralegals have access to many continuing education courses and can work toward various voluntary certifications, and pursuing these options can be the extra step that boosts your resume above another.

When discussing voluntary certifications, Lovelace said, “I think it’s important because individually it gives you a sense of accomplishment. And employers in some areas are starting to require it and list it as a preferred component. It demonstrates the importance of paralegals in the industry, demonstrates professional and personal growth, and demonstrates commitment to your chosen profession.”

Voluntary certifications can take the form of NFPA’s PACE program that leads to the status of Registered Paralegal, National Association of Legal Assistants’ certification program that leads to Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal status, and National Association of Legal Secretaries’ three levels of certification. Many or all of these programs require paralegals and legal assistants to maintain certification by taking continuing education courses.

If you’re new to the paralegal industry, Lovelace shared that NFPA is developing an entry-level exam for paralegals called the Paralegal CORE Competency (PCC) Exam.  CORE stands for Competent, Organized, Responsible and Ethical, four elements that NFPA has identified as essential qualities of a good paralegal.

3. Become a Well-Rounded Paralegal
The Bureau of Labor Statistics asserts in its 2010-11 Occupational Outlook Handbook that, “Employers are trying to reduce costs and increase the availability and efficiency of legal services by hiring paralegals to perform tasks once done by lawyers. Paralegals are performing a wider variety of duties, making them more useful to businesses.”

Because today’s paralegals are expected to possess comprehensive skill sets, the catch phrase of any paralegal when assigned a new task should be, “Yes, I can.” Through a mixture of volunteering for new responsibilities at work and participating in continuing education, you can fill in any gaps in your array of skills and become any employer’s dream staff member. According to Lovelace, paralegals should be able to handle any task that lawyers perform, with the exception of representing a client in court and giving legal advice.

“I think the role of most paralegals is to perform ‘substantive’ legal work, which includes duties that are typically performed by attorneys,” she said. “Substantive legal work consists of responsibilities such as legal research, drafting legal documents, interviewing clients and witnesses, analyzing and summarizing documents in a legal matter, etc. Paralegals can’t go to court or give legal advice, but they should be able to do anything else if adequately trained.”

4. Save Time and Improve Processes
Whether it’s finding ways to reduce paperwork or streamlining the phone system in the office, you can impress employers by implementing changes that produce noticeable improvements. Lovelace used ServeNow.com – an online trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers – as an example of something that frees up time for other important duties.

“Learning how to do anything including services available on the Internet such as ServeNow.com helps to get things done much more quickly. If you’re looking for a process server in another state, you can get on the Internet and plug in information and find a process server in minutes instead of making six phone calls. Employers are always looking at the bottom line, and with this you’re saving them time and money,” Lovelace said.

5. Decide Whether to Specialize or Generalize
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also mentions that many paralegals are beginning to specialize in niche practice areas such as real estate, bankruptcy, medical malpractice and product liability because they are growing quickly. This strategy can lead to increased employment opportunities, so you may want to research the benefits of becoming specialized, but Lovelace cautions that specializing in one area can limit you professionally.

“I think specializing in certain areas is fairly common now. It gives an applicant an advantage over a paralegal who only has minimal experience in the same area,” she said. “On the other hand, I think it’s important to have diverse experience. It can limit you if you’re too specialized.”

Lovelace said she made it a point to gain experience in several different practice areas so if she was applying for a real estate position, she could emphasize to the prospective employer her relevant experience in that sector.

“I would encourage paralegals to become more generally experienced because it can help you find the practice you’d like to spend the next five to 10 years in,” she said.

6. Become the Office’s Technology Guru
Staying on top of new software programs and learning to use them will elevate you quickly in employers’ eyes. Lovelace shared that she took the initiative to learn Adobe Pro and soon became the go-to person in her litigation department whenever someone needed to manipulate PDF files. Many software companies also allow you to download free trial versions of their products and participate in their educational tutorials or free webinars.

If you’re looking to bring your firm up to speed with the latest programs and technology, consider technology such as:

• ServeManager – Web-based application that enables you to assign, track and manage your service of process all in one place.
• Google Docs – A free web-based word processing tool that enables people to collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, presentations and more.
• Online hourly billing software – You can use these secure, web-based programs for invoicing, time tracking and billing.
• Imaging software – Paralegals can use this software to scan images into databases.

Becoming proficient in the latest technology is wise because as Lovelace points out, “Attorneys are far more interested in law than learning mechanics and making something work on the computer.”

7. Maintain a Smoothly Running Schedule
“Setting deadlines for yourself and tracking deadlines for your boss is essential, not only because missing a deadline could result in a malpractice suit, but also because it helps everybody stay on task. You become very valuable to your employer when you can keep track of all those deadlines,” Lovelace said.

Some of your free and paid options for tracking deadlines include Google Calendar, ScheduFlow Online and VueMinder Calendar Lite. Lovelace uses her Outlook calendar as her scheduling system, but you can explore other programs and methods to figure out which is most effective for you and your employer.

Conclusion
You can position yourself to ride the wave of increased employment opportunities in the paralegal profession all the way to the top. Use the above tips to get you started and always be looking for new ways to increase and showcase your value to current and potential employers. And remember: The end goal is to be able to say, “Yes, I can!”

Seth Davis is the content manager for ServeNow.com, which is a trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers. Visit www.ServeNow.com for more information.

It has been a very busy year for Digital Paralegal Services and the Ribble family!  The leaves and the temperatures are falling in Oklahoma, and the wind comes and goes.  It’s that time of year when we let ourselves exhale, relax and say to ourselves “Life is good!”  I hope you will pause long enough to give thanks for your blessings before you jump into the next holiday season.  Don’t miss out on the thanksgiving season in your soul – it will do you wonders!

I am so thankful for the support and encouragement of new friends across the country during the last year.  If I had not taken this journey, I would never have met so many people in the legal industry.  Your blog posts, your tweets and your emails inspire me.  We celebrated our first anniversary as a full-service virtual paralegal business.  I’m excited about our accomplishments and progress.

Now, more than ever, I am thankful for my husband, Park.  We’ve been married almost 35 years, and I have him to thank for the name Digital Paralegal Services.  My daughters, Stacey and Lindsay, are constant encouragers in my professional and personal life.

My son, David and his wife, Erin, have had an extremely busy year.  Their twin boys, Bryce and Beckett, are now 2.  For those of us who have already traveled that road of parenthood, we all know what that means!  It’s a major milestone for our family.  The twins were born 3 months early and only weighed around 2-1/2 pounds.  At one point they dropped below the 2-pound mark.    They are truly miracles for which we are thankful!

Have a great weekend counting your blessings!

Today’s digital world bombards us with communication from every side.  We still have regular old United States Post Office mail currently delivered Monday – Saturday.  We have email from multiple email addresses.  We get direct messages from LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and any other social media network to which you belong.  We have instant messages, online chats, home phone and office phone voicemail systems, smartphones, texting, desktops, laptops, and iPads.  Is it ever going to end?  Probably not!!

Each of these communication forms may be linked to an email which clutters our inbox and our life.  Here are 11 tips which have helped me manage the process:

• Batch process similar emails by sorting your inbox by subject or sender.
• Use filter settings to send emails which do not require your immediate attention directly to the appropriate subject folder.
• Eliminate unwanted information by using the unsubscribe process.  Scroll to the very bottom of the unwanted email and click on the link.  It is amazing how many times we just delete or mark as spam.
• Process email at scheduled block times throughout your day.  Time block mean at has a beginning and an end.  If you do not limit this time, it will consume your day!
• Consider turning off incoming email alerts (visual and audio prompts) because it interrupts your focus.
• Retain copies of all sent emails by simply adding a bcc to yourself.
• Avoid reading or sending emails during family time.  This nasty habit sends a loud and clear message to your family that they are not as important as your work.
• Limit emails to a single subject for ease in the email filing process.
• Use descriptive subject lines with file name and a sub-topic to avoid the hide-and-seek game when you later try to locate a specific email.
• Use HIGH PRIORITY in the subject line on matters requiring immediate attention.
• Carefully review email alert settings for all social networks to eliminate emails which simply clutter your inbox.

Ironically, I learned some of these tips by – you guessed it – reading email!

Have a great weekend!

Much discussion has taken place in recent months concerning the topic of virtual paralegals.  This new phenomenon – or at least this new terminology – has taken the legal profession by storm.

Traditionally, freelance paralegals and temp paralegals came to the law firm’s office to help out during overload seasons or to fill in while someone was on vacation or sick-leave.

Technological advances and our current economic times have merged and given birth to a new breed:  The Virtual Paralegal.  The terms freelance paralegals and virtual paralegals are sometimes used interchangeably. Both  usually work independently on an as-needed basis.   Both build professional networks and negotiate fees for services rendered.

• The American Bar Association (ABA) defines a legal assistant or paralegal as a person, qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.
• The Virtual Paralegal meets the definition adopted by the ABA and, in addition, possesses the skills and expertise to perform this work in a virtual setting, usually from a fully equipped remote office as an independent contractor.

(Sixty-Six Solid Tips From Your Virtual Paralegal Success Team)

“It is a natural evolution of the industry.  We live and work in a virtual society – connected by our smart-phones and computers.  Lawyers communicate with their staff via e-mail and text; attorneys and paralegals telecommute; courts are embracing technology and electronic filing.  Going ‘virtual’ is the logical next step.”  (Pamela J. Starr, CBA, www.starrparalegals.com, Sixty-Six Solid Tips)

Paralegals  are by nature independent problem-solvers who enjoy a challenge.  They are visionaries who see a bigger picture, and they think outside the box of pre-determined limits and boundaries.  Becoming independent business owners was also a logical next step.

Cordina Charvis described the Virtual Paralegal’s target market as “solo practitioners, small law firms and in-house legal departments.” (The New Legal Assistant Trend, Virtual Paralegals, The Verdict, March, 2010, published by Ventura County Paralegal Association).   In reality, the Virtual Paralegal could assist law firms or corporate legal departments of any size during times of unusual heavy caseload and multiple deadlines.  Quite often, specialized tasks can be outsourced for a more cost-effective solution.

Deadlines can easily become an expensive crunch-time for attorneys and their law firms if there are insufficient paralegal-hours available to cover all deadline requirements.  Personally, I remember pulling an all-nighter or two in my career! That was not fun and naturally those long hours were quite an expensive overtime expense for  my employer.  Virtual Paralegals are independent business owners who do not draw overtime pay.  Although virtual paralegal service agreements sometimes provide for “rush fees,” those fees are often waived when the attorney has an ongoing relationship with a virtual paralegal.

It just makes financial sense to retain the services of a Virtual Paralegal to meet some of your paralegal support needs.  Virtual paralegals are experiencing higher demand right now, so don’t expect to wait until the last minute to make arrangements for the specialized services you need!

I came across a great discussion question today on a Virtual Paralegal LinkedIn Group sponsored by Chere Estrin, Editor-in-Chief at SUE Magazine for Women Litigators.

I suspect this question will inspire a flurry of responses by virtual paralegals and virtual assistants across the country.  “We” are as passionate about our profession as the attorneys with whom we work.

How do you check a virtual paralegal’s work?  How do you trust that the work is being done on a regular basis?  Do I have to go back and spot check everything?

• Trust is not automatic.  Attorneys should spot-check and perform quality control reviews as procedures are established.  As the relationship grows, the frequency and methods of these checks can be adjusted according to the level of trust which has been established.  There is no room for “blind” trust in the detailed nature of the legal profession, especially in a virtual relationship.
• Trust begins when the attorney selects a virtual paralegal with education, training and experience.  Years of legal training and experience are critical in a virtual relationship. 
• Trust is enhanced by selecting a virtual paralegal who has achieved paralegal certification through testing.  I’m talking about extensive testing of the individual’s knowledge and understanding of legal terminology, principles and substantive law.  Paralegals are not licensed as attorneys.  Voluntary certification demonstrates a virtual paralegal’s commitment to the paralegal profession.
• Trust develops in an attorney-virtual paralegal relationship in a progressive manner.  Trust will be limited when you work with a virtual paralegal for a single project.  For maximum productivity and synergy, attorneys must develop an ongoing relationship with the virtual paralegal(s).  Even though most virtual paralegals work on an “as needed” basis, a continuous relationship allows you to fully understand each other’s preferences.
• Trust grows with regular and consistent communication with your virtual paralegal via email concerning projects, deadlines and case status. 
• Trust is encouraged when the virtual paralegal is also available by telephone.  I provide toll-free telephone and fax numbers.  I routinely provide my cell phone number to my clients.  I discourage any virtual relationship without this availability.  Communication is key.
• Trust is a two-way street.  Not only is the virtual paralegal earning the attorney’s trust, but the attorney is also earning the paralegal’s trust.  Many virtual paralegals I’ve spoken with over the last year started their businesses so they can select the attorneys with whom they want to work.
• Trust is established when a virtual paralegal’s work product is completed in a professional and timely manner.
• Trust is enhanced when the virtual paralegal provides a detailed regular billing identifying the projects and a brief description of actual work performed. 
• Trust is developed when the attorney promptly pays all billings by the virtual paralegal and advances expenses as requested.

I look forward to following this discussion!

I recently came across a forum post from a paralegal asking if the “virtual paralegal train” had run its course.  The resounding response by that forum’s readers indicated that virtual paralegals are here to stay!

I believe virtual paralegals are here to stay for a number of reasons:

• The practice of law is undergoing somewhat the same transition that many churches have undergone.  You are still taking care of all the important things, but just in a different manner which is more suitable to today’s lifestyles and economic times.
• Legal professionals who practice virtually are conscientious of security and confidentiality issues.  When I first considered starting my own business, I spoke with Andrea Cannavina, a pioneer in the area of outsourcing administrative support for law firms.  Andrea has made her Legal Typist business stick because online security is an absolute priority.
• Virtual paralegals and administrative assistants are beginning to form virtual teams, referral networks and other supportive relationships with  legal vendors who provide a quality product.  For example, Andrea recently interviewed Jack Newton, President and co-founder of Clio, a leading online practice management tool for attorneys.   You can read about or listen to the interview concerning security at Legal Typist.
• Just as attorneys are “unbundling” legal service packages, they are also unbundling how those services are provided.  Being confined to the traditional law office with a full-time or shared paralegal or legal secretary is no longer mandatory, but an option.  Qualified virtual paralegals and other support staff who work on a contract basis are readily available.
• Paralegal Associates and Kristina Duncan recently conducted an informal Attorney Survey:  Using Virtual Paralegals which indicated that the primary obstacle to using a virtual paralegal was simply the attorneys did not understand how to incorporate such support into their practice environment.

Every day Fox News and other news media tell us that current economic times of the United States are not going to change quickly.  What do you say, attorneys — let’s keep legal outsourcing in the United States!  We promise to do a better job at answering your questions and helping you locate the right tools for the virtual relationship you have in mind!

When I decided to start my own independent business to provide virtual paralegal services to licensed U.S. attorneys, one of the things which excited me most was the realization that as my own boss, I would control which tools I use to provide professional services in my area of expertise.

I have experienced firsthand that law firms often try to save money by using outdated software or cutting corners by failing to adequately train staff with the software programs the firm has chosen.   That lack of training lands closer to the bulls-eye when attorneys themselves begin using desktop and laptop computers without investing some dedicated time for proper training.  This mindset actually robs attorneys and their law firms of hard-earned profits rather than saving them money. Here is an example.

As a NALA Certified Paralegal with over 15 years experience in traditional law firms, I have had many opportunities to work on legal briefs.  A common task delegated to paralegals, legal assistants, or legal secretaries is the preparation of the Table of Authorities.  Few paralegals have received specific training for this task.  Most are handed a previous brief as an example to follow.  Somewhere towards the end stages of the brief preparation, the paralegal will review the References menu in Microsoft 2007 (or other word processing software) to scan the steps for creating a Table of Authorities.  Most software options require that citations be manually “marked” and then Bingo! — your Table of Authorities is supposed to magically appear.  Well, it does not happen that quickly, and there are many opportunities for errors because paralegals have not been sufficiently trained concerning the legal requirements  for a Table of Authorities, nor have they been properly trained with the software which will be used to generate this critical first impression for your brief.

Recently I was introduced to Best Authority®, a software for building the Table of Authorities in legal briefs.  This awesome tool works as an “add in” to Microsoft Word.  The software goal?  To help you build a perfect Table of Authorities for your brief in far less time.

The Best Authority Wizard provides a systematic approach for efficiently drafting, reviewing and finalizing a Table of Authorities.  Its designer, Levit & James, has a long history of helping law firms address technology issues related to top computer and word processing systems.  The company’s Word add-in products focus on dramatically increasing user productivity by reducing time-consuming tasks to minutes.  Levit & James claims its customer base includes 60% of the top 200 law firms in the country.  You might say some firms view them as experts in this department.  Perhaps the rest of us, including this independent paralegal, can learn a lesson from the experts in the area of listing authorities for legal briefs.

I was interested in the software after coming across the Best Authority web site, but I was hooked after an online webinar/sales presentation with Ian Levit.  I quickly realized that Mr. Levit knows far more about the elements of a Table of Authorities than I do.  He was very familiar with requirements for different jurisdictions and has designed a tool which utilizes templates for standard widely used formats or enables you to customize your own template.  Several versions of the software tool are available to match your need, and the company seems particularly attentive to training and support.

I am planning to add Best Authority Light to my paralegal toolbox because I believe it will significantly reduce the time I currently spend in creating a Table of Authorities.   Levit & James says its customers are building a TOA 4 to 8 times faster than previous methods.  The Best Authority Wizard launched within Microsoft Word provides a systematic, step-by-step process for Startup, Scan, Draft Review, Full Page Review and Build.  Systems typically increase productivity and avoid critical steps being skipped when you are working under a time crunch. Avoiding skipped steps leads to a more accurate, professional finished product which will be pleasing to the Judge’s eye.

In the Startup step, you are prompted to select a template for your Table of Authorities.  After setting the beginning and ending points of the brief to be scanned, a full document scan for authorities is performed in just seconds.  While taking a peak at the Evaluation Version of Best Authority Light, I tested it on a 25-page brief in my files.  Within just a few seconds, Best Authority generated a working draft copy listing each of the 80+ cited authorities (long and short form citations) in the appropriate section under Cases, Statutes, Other Authorities, Suspects, Non-TOA References with corresponding page numbers.

After printing this draft, I then moved to Draft Review.  The working draft copy of my TOA opened in the upper part of my screen while my brief was held open in a different window in the bottom portion of the screen.  When I clicked on the page number in the working draft (upper window), the software immediately jumped to the corresponding cited authority in the brief (lower window). The authority was highlighted in yellow on my screen for easy review.  It’s amazing how errors stand out when they are highlighted in yellow!!  Short form citations or mentions were highlighted in a different color.  It was a breeze to quickly review all citations for necessary corrections.  The sections for Other Authorities and Suspects call to your attention those items which may not have been cited correctly.

Full Page Review pulls up a screen similar to Print Preview, allowing you to jump from one highlighted authority to the next with editing options and shortcuts.  After completion of the Review steps, you can then Build (generate) your final Table of Authorities.

I believe attorneys would greatly appreciate the opportunity to review a printed copy of the brief with all authorities magically highlighted!  Easy!!  Last minute revisions?  No problem, proceed to Scan in your Best Authority Wizard, select Re-scan and follow the Wizard to quickly finalize your Table of Authorities.

Have you used Best Authority®, or perhaps another Table of Authorities tool?  I hope you’ll take a moment to post a quick comment about the pros and cons of your tool of choice.

The software review above only represents Cathy’s opinions after previewing an evaluation license of Best Authority Light.  The review is provided for information purposes only, and it does not constitute, and should not be construed as constituting, an endorsement of or advertisement for this product or any company.  It is prudent practice to personally review all software carefully and form your own opinions before purchasing.

Litigation Can Be A Rollercoaster

• “Litigation can be a rollercoaster. Several cases may come in a flurry, or none may arise for several months.  Maintaining staff for the peak periods can be a sizable ongoing cost for salaries and benefits.  On the other hand, not having people when needed can result in overlooking crucial information, making mistakes, or missing deadlines.” (It’s Discovery Time — Do You Know Where Your Electronic Data Is? Michael J. Connor, Contributor, Litigation Support TODAY, November 2009/January 2010)

If you are a litigation attorney, paralegal or legal secretary, the rollercoaster picture and quote above evoke all-too-familiar feelings which you have experienced firsthand.  Those feelings of being dangerously close to out-of-control.  Attorneys have been fighting this battle for years.

Perhaps, you are a solo or small firm practitioner with an established, but yet small, practice which for the most part excludes litigation.  You find yourself with a welcomed new client, and suddenly you have 10 or more active litigation files in various counties governed by various court rules and practices.  Those feelings of being dangerously close to out-of-control surface for you now.

In the midst of our current economic recession, many attorneys are considering for the first time a working relationship with a virtual support professional to deal with those “out-of-control” times.

An ongoing relationship with a virtual paralegal is a viable alternative for many reasons.  The most important reason is simply that you are not required to pay for office space, equipment, full salary and employee benefits for an employee.  You can get the additional support on a contract basis, paying only for the services you need.  It’s a better fit for your bottom line.

Maybe that bottom line would also look better if you lined up someone who could bill your clients on a regular basis.

I urge you to consider, however, that it is always best to have a plan for those peek times of productivity or need for specialized assistance.  You’ve heard that saying, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” Don’t wait until the crisis hits to begin your search for future support needs.  Don’t miss any deadlines.  Don’t miss that critical information.   Don’t make a critical mistake because you did not have the support you needed. 

Begin your search today to locate the virtual paralegal who can assist you when that next major project or litigation spurt comes in your practice.  Remember, virtual paralegals are often highly specialized professionals with years of legal experience.  We network with other virtual paralegals, and we operate on a system of referral networks just like attorneys.   There is a virtual paralegal out there who meets your unique needs.  Great working relationships develop over time.  That doesn’t mean they can’t be packaged in the quantity you need.

If you need help locating a virtual paralegal for your practice, don’t hesitate to email me at cribble@digitalparalegalservices.com.   I will be happy to help you locate a virtual paralegal for your specialty area.