Long hours are part and parcel of working in the legal industry, but this doesn’t mean your legal professionals have to be at risk of burnout. You can make their lives easier, and their workflow more streamlined and focused. A virtual receptionist law firm solution, for example, instantly allows lawyers to delegate duties better suited to an administrative assistant. But there are, in fact, numerous different types of legal virtual assistants available.
Filling a virtual receptionist law firm position may be your first step in entering the virtual assistant age, but what other options do you have? After all, the legal profession is a complex one, with all manner of different elements combining to create justice. This is why there are so many different types of legal virtual assistants to choose from. As long as you know what your legal business is looking for, you can rest assured there will be a VA company who can supply them.
But virtual assistants are a relatively recent development, and most businesses still rely on in-house employees rather than remote workers. A sense of trepidation, therefore, is still acting as a barrier to many legal firms embracing the world of virtual assistants. However, the enhancements that a VA company and their talent can bring to your legal business is significant. All you need to do is get a better understanding of this new landscape. And you can get started by learning about 10 different types of legal virtual assistants.
The Basic Principles of a Virtual Assistant
The clue to how a virtual assistant operates can be found in their title: virtual. Yes, the leaps and bounds made by internet technology mean that all a virtual assistant needs to work for your company is a PC and a high-speed internet connection. And with high-speed internet available globally, you can employ a virtual assistant from almost anywhere. So, for example, if you needed to fill a virtual receptionist law firm role, you could easily turn to a VA company to supply you with an employee based in the Philippines.
But why would you choose to go virtual rather than relying on a traditional in-house solution? Well, there’s not just one reason, there are multiple benefits. Aside from the cost savings you stand to make, which can be up to 78% in operating costs, you can also take advantage of 24/7 coverage due to the different time zones virtual assistants are located in, and there’s the major benefit of virtual assistants being comprehensively trained in their niche. Altogether, these make a virtual assistant a more attractive proposition than an assistant who commutes to your premises.
A VA company can connect you with these virtual assistants but, as we’ve already covered, the legal profession is complex. So, you need to understand the options available to your law firm. Maybe you need a virtual receptionist law firm solution, or perhaps you need a virtual assistant to help gather case evidence together. Building a knowledge of the legal virtual assistants available, therefore, is crucial.
The 10 Different Types of Legal Virtual Assistants
Meeting the demands of the numerous legal processes is a tough ask for any lawyer, but the development of legal virtual assistants means that delegation is possible. Nonetheless, you need the correct type of virtual assistant for your specific needs. Luckily, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to the different types of legal virtual assistants:
Virtual legal receptionist:
Filling a virtual receptionist law firm vacancy is one of the best steps you can take to maximize productivity. Thanks to internet technology, a virtual legal receptionist can operate from anywhere in the world through telecommunication technology. This allows them to greet clients, arrange appointment schedules, and deal with the many emails that a business receives on a daily basis.
Virtual paralegal:
A highly skilled type of legal virtual assistant, a virtual paralegal can provide essential backup to your lawyers. These virtual assistants are fully trained in the complexities of legal procedures and documentation and possess a wide range of skills to assist your lawyers and streamline their workflow. Accordingly, virtual paralegals can assist with trial preparation, maintaining and facilitating communication with clients, and arranging your lawyers’ schedules.
Virtual legal research assistant:
Thorough legal research is essential in all cases, but it’s also a time-intensive task that many legal professionals fail to complete adequately. And just one missing piece of information can make the difference between winning and losing a case. But with a virtual legal research assistant on your team, this necessary duty can be delegated. Due to their training and knowledge of the law, your lawyers can rest assured that comprehensive research will be conducted and all the facts delivered.
Virtual case management assistant:
Managing any legal case, no matter how small its scope, is a challenge for all lawyers. This means its vital they have assistance in this area, otherwise, they will lose focus on their core priorities. And they need a specialist in this area, such as a virtual case management assistant. These virtual assistants have the skills and knowledge to effectively organize caseloads and manage appointments for lawyers. This frees up your lawyers to concentrate on the tasks that only they can complete.
Virtual legal assistant:
An essential component of any legal firm, a legal virtual assistant can quickly transform your business. Fully skilled in the most common administrative duties, a virtual legal assistant will be able to hit the ground running when it comes to tackling your administrative backlog. This allows your lawyers to step away from the labor-intensive yet critical tasks, such as managing appointment ledgers and ordering stationary, and ensure that their clients receive their full attention.
Virtual document drafting assistant:
Legal documents provide the backbone of any many legal cases, so it’s important they are handled professionally. Again, however, these documents are time-consuming to create, and a lawyer can quickly fall behind on their workload when working on draft contracts and agreements. The solution here is to hire a virtual document drafting assistant. With a firm understanding of the technicalities and requirements of legal documents, these virtual assistants can seamlessly take on this duty.
Virtual billing and invoicing assistant:
A legal firm is a business, and it needs to make sure its finances are in order. Billing and invoicing play a pivotal role in achieving this. Staying on top of your finances, however, is a tall order in the busy legal industry. But you’ll never fall behind with a virtual billing and invoicing assistant in your ranks. Fully confident in using billing software such as TimeSolv and Rocket Matter, these virtual assistants will enhance your billing cycle and bring an organized approach to your financial transactions.
Virtual compliance assistant:
The legal landscape is constantly evolving, with new regulations coming into force and existing statutes being amended. Lawyers need to keep tabs on these developments to ensure they remain compliant with national regulations. But finding the time to do this is difficult. Nonetheless, compliance is crucial. That’s why installing a virtual compliance assistant within your legal firm is the best step you can take. These individuals can track legal changes and make sure your team mitigates potential legal risks and maintains adherence.
Virtual legal marketing assistant:
All businesses need help with marketing, and marketing is a specific art. This means that you can’t turn to a legal professional to take it on, you need to turn to a marketing expert. And a virtual legal marketing assistant will allow you to market your business to potential clients. From creating social media strategies through to analyzing business data, a virtual legal marketing assistant will develop successful marketing strategies. This fosters the growth of your client database and removes another demand from your lawyers.
Virtual witness preparation assistant:
Witnesses are not slick operators when it comes to providing testimony, and many of them will have never stepped foot in a court before. As a result, they need thorough guidance as to what to expect. This covers simple processes including signing in at the courthouse and taking the stand through to more testing scenarios such as answering questions from opposing lawyers. Preparation in these areas is key to a successful case, and an experienced virtual witness preparation assistant can take care of this.
Taking That Next Step and Hiring
You now know that there’s much more to legal virtual assistants than just a virtual receptionist law firm position. Almost every aspect of a legal firm’s operations can be delegated to an expert in that field. Whether it be marketing, document preparation or calendar management, you know that there’s a VA company ready to provide you with the legal virtual assistant you need. And the best VA company to visit is Pineapple.
Trusted by hundreds of legal professionals worldwide, we’re a VA company who knows how to deliver. We can do this due to the vast global talent pool we’ve developed over a number of years. And we’re certain we can satisfy your every need when it comes to legal virtual assistants, so click here to get started on an exciting journey.
