A VA, or in our case a virtual “Legal PA” as we like to call ourselves can help with your law firm’s admin, organisation, and processes.
However, if you haven’t worked with a remote team member before, you may have concerns about practicalities. Here are my top tips and tools for hassle-free and high-performing remote-working relationships.
1. COMMUNICATE
Communication is key in any relationship but it’s even more important when working remotely.
- Establish what methods you will use to keep in touch from the start. There are many options including email, WhatsApp, phone, Teams, Slack etc. Find what works best for both of you.
- Have weekly/fortnightly calls so you have a regular chance to connect. These are essential to help build your relationship. You can use these calls to brainstorm ideas, check progress on actions, and make sure you’re both happy with the way things are working.
During your communication, it helps to:
- Be clear and advise your Legal PA on what tasks you want completed and the deadline.
- Be open to suggestions from your Legal PA. We often have years of experience in similar roles. We’ve researched and tested the best tools and approaches and can offer advice to steer you in the right direction.
2. USE COLLABORATION TOOLS
Being virtual means that cloud-based tools for collaboration are a huge help.
The main ones we use with our clients include:
- Last Pass & Keeper – password sharing
- Drop Box/Google Drive/One Drive – file sharing
- Asana/Trello – project/task management
- Clio – legal CRM
- Googlemail/GoogleCalendar and Microsoft – email/calendar sharing
- WhatsApp – for texting and voice messaging (great for firing over quick instructions)
- Philips SpeechLine – dictation and transcription (audio typing)
- Slack – I use this with my team so we have a shared space for discussion and it’s great for quick messages
Want to discover other great remote-working tools like this? Check out our free guide: 11 essential actions to make you and your law firm more organised
3. EMBRACE DELEGATION
It can be hard to let go, especially at the outset when you’re still learning to trust your Legal PA. However, to really gain the advantages of having a Legal PA you MUST learn to delegate. That way you can start to free up your own time and your Legal PA can learn the tasks that need doing.
Action: If you’re new to delegation, start by writing a list of all the tasks you do in a fortnight. Which ones take too long, aren’t enjoyable, or aren’t worth your hourly rate? These are the tasks you need to delegate.
Want more tips like this? Check out our guide How to hire a VA in 8 easy steps
4. ASK YOUR VA TO DOCUMENT PROCESSES
A Legal PA is an expert in processes. So, take advantage of having an organisation guru in your team. Ask them to create Standard Operating Procedures. These are essential guides to your firm’s key processes.
A SOP will outline all the steps needed to complete a task correctly and they’re invaluable if you have staff absences or people leave the firm. With a SOP in place, any member of the team can pick up the task.
Top tool: I use Loom to create simple video-based SOPsand Lucid Chart to map out the process in a visual diagram.
5. SHARE YOUR VISION
It’s up to you how much your Legal PA becomes a part of the team. However, my final tip is that if you’re planning on working together regularly it’s a good idea to bring them in on the vision for the business.
Explain your goals, your priorities, and how you see the Legal PA being able to contribute to achieving them. It’ll really help your Legal PA to feel part of the firm and they may have ideas you’ve not considered that could help.
Ready to explore how a Legal PA could help your business?
We offer diverse and comprehensive support for law firms. Our team of legally trained PA’s are experienced in the legal sector and have the skills to help you get on top of your admin and achieve your business goals.
