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: Impartial Inc

Why Attorneys Should Hire A Freelance Paralegal

By RJ

The perfect paralegal would help me increase my revenue & decrease my expenses!

Today?s law firm minimizes its staff by maintaining approximately one paralegal for every four to five attorneys. Thereby, the paralegal performs more as a legal secretary maintaining court calendars, filing court documents and working with the courts. The role of the paralegal is then placed upon associate or junior counsel within the firm. Sometimes one-man law offices find themselves hiring paralegals right out of school and training them in-house, thereby reducing the cost of an experienced paralegal. But most one-man practices find themselves doing most of their own paralegal work, which causes a backlog in productivity, thus reducing their own clientele and ultimately decreasing their ability to bring in desired monthly revenue. Hiring a contract paralegal is an effective way to minimize a law firm?s costs while at the same time increasing productivity, clientele and revenue.

Having a minimized staff causes complications in the event of the staff becoming ill or, worse yet, quitting. Some law firms turn to paralegal staffing firms during crunch times or in the event of staffing complications. But paralegal staffing firms charge $35.00 or more per hour and place paralegals for a short term to work with attorneys that they do not have an established relationship with. The staffing firm retains a percentage of that income, thereby leaving the paralegal working for less and having no commitment or dedication to the current employer. Further, many of these paralegals are also fresh out of school and inexperienced. Taking that paralegal?s inexperience coupled with the lack of familiarity with the counsel?s approach, style and own unique flair that he expects each of his cases should maintain, further reduces the productivity and clientele base for said firm.

Wouldn?t you like to work with an experienced paralegal? A paralegal who understands how to read a case, work the case, grasp the importance of the outcome for that case and all the while working under your own expected flair? Wouldn?t it be grand, if that paralegal didn?t require an outrageous monthly salary, but rather is paid on a case-by-case basis? Put all of that on top of the reduced expenses your firm has to put out for workers? compensation and medical benefits and you have the perfect paralegal!

You can have this in a contract paralegal. Research contract paralegals in your area, talk with each one, and learn about their background and experience. Find a contract paralegal with a minimum of five years in-house experience in your practice area. Once you choose the right candidate, make this paralegal a part of your team. Take the time to explain how you run a case. For each new case you assign tell the contract paralegal what your expected outcome for this case is and how you wish to see this case flow. You can have the desired relationship with a paralegal that you have longed for, thus increasing your productivity, clientele and desired monthly revenue. Call an experienced contract paralegal today.

Full post as published by Impartial Inc on April 26, 2008 (boomark / email).