What a Freelance Paralegal Can Take off Your Plate in Year One
Imagine this.
You start your own law practice and become your own boss! You’re building your client base and doing things on your own terms. What no one tells you, though, is how many other jobs come with being an attorney.
Between taking on clients, drafting pleadings, keeping up with deadlines, emails, and chasing down invoices, it will quickly feel as if you’re running an entire law firm by yourself!
Well… you basically are!
In the beginning, doing everything yourself might seem manageable. But as your caseload grows, so does your to-do list. This is where we come in and help support you! Freelance paralegal support can give you some breathing room without the expense of hiring a new team member full time.
(You’re going to want to write this down.)
The Reality of Your First Year in Practice
It’s easy to underestimate how much the administrative side of running a law firm can take you. Days can be unpredictable and longer than expected. And I bet you did not expect to be spending half your days answering emails and organizing files.
Here’s just an idea of what a daily to-do list could look like:
Client intake and correspondence
Scheduling consultations, paperwork, responding to emails and keeping clients updated.
Document drafting and preparation
Preparing pleadings, drafting correspondence, and putting together discovery requests.
Legal research
Finding relevant case law and researching statutes to support your filings.
Deadline management
Keeping track of deadlines, court dates, and statutes of limitations.
Billing and administrative work
Entering billable hours and sending invoices
You might think all this is not too overwhelming. BUT, when you’re balancing all of this while representing clients, these tasks can quickly become a full time job on their own. This is not meant to scare you, just preparing you for everything that could come your way!
You Don’t Have to Do it All Alone
You do not necessarily have to hire another full time employee to keep your workload steady. A freelance paralegal can help with what YOU need help with. Whether that is preparing initial paperwork or just scheduling. We can do as much or as little as you need us to do!
However, if you are looking for full time help that is an option too! Not sure which option makes sense for you? Check out our blog on In-House vs. Contracted Paralegals to learn more.
Don’t Wait Last Minute
It’s easy to push off asking for help, and saying you’ll do it later. But when exactly is later?
Getting support early on can prevent you from ending up drowning in work. This will help you stay organized, manage your workload, and give you time to even grow your business. At the end of the day you started your practice to be an attorney not a professional email responder.
You may be ready to bring on a freelance paralegal, but wondering how to make the transition go smoothly? Check out our blog How to Hand Off a Case to a Freelance Paralegal Without Losing Momentum for some tips to get started.
Ready to Buy Back Some of Your Time?
You started your practice to be an attorney, not to spend your days buried in administrative tasks. You don’t have to wait until your workload becomes unbearable to ask for help. If your to-do list is starting to feel like a second job, let us help you take some off your plate!
Reach out and let’s talk about how our support can fit into your practice! I offer a free 30-minute consultation where we can go over your current workload, what you may need help with, and what contract support could look like. Reach out to me directly brooke@knoxvilleparalegal.com or book a time with me HERE.
If we haven’t met yet, I’m Brooke—founder of Knoxville Paralegal Services (KPS) and paralegal of 20+ years 😊 We are a contract paralegal company based in Knoxville but serve attorneys NATIONWIDE. We handle assignments remotely and as an “on-demand” service.
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