Who doesn’t want to supercharge their legal firm to new heights? After all, staying ahead of the competition in an industry worth over $375 billion is crucial. But it’s difficult to make headway in such a competitive market. So, you need a solution, and you need to start with a VA agency. They can introduce you to the world of legal virtual assistant services and transform your service.
The Lowdown on a VA Agency and Virtual Assistants
20 years ago, the concept of a VA agency was restricted to that of a technological dream. However, thanks to the rapid advancement of internet technology, a VA agency is now more than a possibility. In fact, it’s essential if you want to benefit from legal virtual assistant services.
Virtual assistants are one of the most exciting trends in contemporary business staffing. First gaining traction in the early 2010s, when high-speed internet connections became commonplace, virtual assistants represent a digital replacement for traditional in-house assistants. Available in in niches as varied as multimedia design, real estate, and legal virtual assistant services, they deliver a modern solution for all businesses. But what exactly are virtual assistants? And how can they fit into your business?
Central to a virtual assistant is a high-speed internet connection and a PC. Combined, these two elements allow a virtual assistant to connect directly to your IT systems. And this can be achieved from anywhere in the world. As long as they have a valid set of login credentials, they can connect into your business regardless of whether they’re in a coffee shop down the road, one state over or, most excitingly of all, on the other side of the world.
Best of all, if you partner your business with the right VA agency, you’re guaranteed a number of exciting benefits:
Cost Savings:
All businesses love a cost saving, and virtual assistants are packed full of them. More cost-effective than hiring a permanent, in-house assistant, a virtual assistant is only required as and when they’re necessary. There’s no need for vacation or sickness pay, and you save on equipment costs and office space. In total, it’s estimated you can save up to 78% in operating costs.
Flexibility:
With virtual assistants working remotely, they’re more than capable of adjusting to the schedules of their clients. In addition to this, they’re available on a short-term basis and can be brought in and out of a business at a moment’s notice. This allows your business to remain lean during quiet periods and tackle high demand quickly and effectively.
Increased Productivity:
Those working in the legal industry, due to its intense workload, are prone to burnout. But, if you employ legal virtual assistant services through a VA agency, this can be avoided. Virtual legal assistants can take on your administrative backlog and free up your legal professionals to work on the problems only their expertise can solve. This preserves the health of your team and enhances the service you can offer to your clients.
Access to Specialized Skills:
The global reach of a VA agency means your business can choose from a wide range of talent, and this opens you up to specialist skills. So, if you have a specific need for a paralegal or legal secretary, you can rest assured your need can be matched by a professional VA agency. And, as we’ve discussed already, they can be hired on a short-term basis without the expensive contracts of a full-time specialist.
Virtual Legal Assistant vs Legal Assistant
You may be wondering what the main differences are when you compare legal virtual assistant services with those on offer from a traditional legal assistant. Well, the differences are numerous - and you can read an in-depth discussion here – but to summarize:
Travel and Office Space:
A virtual legal assistant can work from anywhere, with most working from their own home. This is in stark contrast to a traditional legal assistant who has to pack their work materials every morning, travel to their workplace, and set up at one of your desks.
Equipment:
When you have an in-house legal assistant, you need to provide them with furniture, IT equipment, and amenities for them to complete their daily duties. However, a virtual legal assistant provides all of these for themselves, saving you not only money but allowing you to allocate your physical resources more efficiently.
Time Zone:
A local, in-house assistant is always going to travel to your legal firm, and this means they will always be based in the same time zone as you. But with a VA agency able to provide legal virtual assistant services from anywhere in the world, it’s plausible your virtual legal assistants could be based in different time zones. And this allows your legal firm and its clients to benefit from 24/7 coverage.
What Can Legal Virtual Assistant Services Offer You?
Now you have a better understanding of what virtual assistants are, it’s time to look at the legal virtual assistant services they can offer:
Document Management:
The legal industry relies on documentation, and it’s vital that document management is carried out to a high standard. Unfortunately, it’s difficult for legal firms to find the time to do this effectively. This is why bringing a legal virtual assistant on board makes sense. Taking control of documents such as briefs, pleadings, and contracts, a legal virtual assistant can create a document management system which files and organizes your documents. This makes you documents easy to retrieve and minimizes the risk of them going missing.
Client Communication:
One of the most important elements of a relationship between a legal firm and their clients is communication. However, with many legal professionals working more than 40 hours per week, squeezing in time to communicate with clients isn’t always possible. And this means the client suffers. Thankfully, your legal professionals can take advantage of legal virtual assistant services to delegate minor communications. Therefore, a legal virtual assistant can contact clients to provide updates, schedule meetings and handle inquiries.
Calendar Management:
Lawyers are very busy professionals, and their calendars reflect this. As well as client meetings, there are court hearings and professional development commitments to factor into a lawyer’s day. Accordingly, they need someone to take the pain out of managing their calendar. This is where a virtual legal assistant can step in and take care of your legal professionals’ calendars. Ensuring their weekly commitments run like clockwork, a virtual legal assistant will ensure your legal team benefits from a significant boost in productivity.
Conduct Research:
Accurate legal research should be one of the cornerstones of any legal case your firm takes on. But we all know how complex the various statutes and regulations associated with law can be. And this is before we consider how rapidly these can change. So, researching current statutes and regulations is almost a full-time job. Luckily, the professional expertise of a legal virtual assistant allows your legal firm to have someone on hand to carry out in-depth research and provide the relevant information for your legal team.
Transcription:
One of the major benefits of bringing legal virtual assistant services into your firm is that transcription duties can be delegated. Transcribing oral information is essential when it comes to law, but it’s also incredibly time consuming. And this can quickly eat into a legal professional’s precious time. Therefore, utilizing the skills of a legal virtual assistant is a guaranteed way to preserve your team’s time. Fully proficient in the best transcribing practices, a legal virtual assistant will deliver accurate transcriptions in a timely manner.
Billing and Invoicing:
Your organization relies on getting paid in order to stay in business, so it’s important your billing and invoicing system is consistent and effective. The problem is that lawyers and attorneys need to focus their time on the cases they’re working on, rather than totting up the hours to invoice. This leads to the revenue flow being disrupted. So, to ensure a constant flow of cash into your legal firm, why not allocate this duty to a virtual legal assistant? They can prepare and send invoices, generate financial reports and reconcile accounts.
It's Time for Legal Virtual Assistant Services
The evidence is clear for all to see: legal virtual assistant services represent a sure-fire way to enhance your business. Bursting at the seams with benefits, legal virtual assistant services allow you to pull your legal professionals away from everyday administrative tasks. This empowers them to dedicate their energies towards their clients and cases. Not only will client satisfaction skyrocket, but your team’s motivation will also hit new heights. But where do you find these legal virtual assistant services?
The good news is you’re in the right place to find out. Regardless of whether you’re a new law firm looking for a helping hand or an established business, a VA agency can help. And Pineapple is that VA agency. With a remarkable portfolio of talent on our books, we can connect you with the legal virtual assistant services you need. If you’re looking to promote your law firm, boost its productivity, or tackle an administrative backlog, we have a legal virtual assistant who can help.
So, don’t delay, get in touch with us today by clicking here and find out how we can enhance your service.
