When you run a legal business, either as a solo entrepreneur or heading up a small firm, workloads can often feel overwhelming.
The days of having your own PA may feel like a distant memory and when you work for yourself all the admin falls on your desk. But how do you know when workloads are becoming unmanageable?
Here are five warning signs that it’s time to get some additional support and start outsourcing to a legal VA. For each one, you’ll find a helpful ‘spot the sign’ – a real-world example to look out for as a sign you’re doing too much.
1. You’re drowning in admin work
If your day is filled with scheduling, document formatting, email follow-ups, and inbox management—leaving you little time for actual legal work—this is a red flag.
A legal VA can take over these time-consuming tasks, freeing you to focus on billable hours or growing your practice.
Spot the sign: You spend more time updating court dates than preparing for them.
2. You’re missing deadlines or feeling disorganised
Do deadlines always seem to sneak up on you leaving you feeling unprepared? Are files scattered across your desk and your digital folders are a mess?
If so, a legal VA can take charge of your filing, help you prepare for deadlines, maintain case timelines, update checklists, and keep your practice management software up-to-date.
Spot the sign: You end up working weekends or evenings to try and meet deadlines and it takes ages to find the right files.
3. Your client experience is suffering
Slow and inconsistent communication and a chaotic onboarding process can make a bad impression on your clients.
A legal VA can bring structure to your client onboarding process, automate and template communications, and manage your client pipeline.
We help lawyers streamline their onboarding and CRM processes using Clio. It’s a fantastic tool for law firms that leads to a smoother, more professional client experience and can also save you time.
Check out our recent blog on How to create a seamless onboarding experiencing using Clio Grow to see how we could help.
Spot the sign: Client communications are missed, referrals tail off and client reviews suffer.
4. You need additional resources but aren’t ready for full-time support staff
Lawyers often find themselves at a workload tipping point. They have more admin work than they can cope with, but perhaps not enough for a full-time employee.
Plus, there are all the additional costs of hiring staff to consider (salaries including on-costs like pension and National Insurance contributions, office space, equipment etc).
Hiring a legal VA is the perfect intermediate step – you get help when you need it but without the cost and commitment of full-time staff. You only pay for the support you need and get access to expert staff who are already familiar with the legal industry.
Spot the sign: You’re doing too much and have tasks you could delegate but no one to pass them to, putting you under increased pressure.
Wondering how delegating to a VA could work in your firm? Hear from busy lawyers who have made the switch to outsourcing in our blog: Real Stories: How our Virtual PAs Transformed These Overworked Legal Professionals.
5. You’re spending time on work that isn’t billable
Businesses need to make a profit, and every hour spent on tasks that don’t directly generate revenue is an opportunity cost.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of tasks in the legal sector that are necessary but aren’t fee-earning, including transcription, bundling court docs, formatting documents, filing, invoicing, etc.
A legal VA can take on these admin tasks, freeing your day for fee-earning work.
Spot the sign: You’re doing work that isn’t aligned with your hourly rate and could be handled more cost-effectively through delegation.
Unsure what to delegate? Our blog 7 tasks lawyers should outsource to a Legal PA is full of helpful tips and ideas.
Recognise these warning signs? What to do next…
Working in the legal sector is hard and there’s a good chance that at least some of these issues feel all too familiar.
The great news is that if you already recognise these warning signs, you can address them through outsourcing. If you’re new to outsourcing, it can sometimes feel like you’re giving up control of your business. However, it’s not about that. It’s about taking control of your time and energy and doing what’s best for your business.
A legal VA can help you with your admin at a fraction of your hourly rate. They’re also familiar with the sector, its tools, terminologies and demands.
If you’d like to discover more about outsourcing, we’ve compiled a helpful guide: How to Hire a VA in 8 Easy Steps. Download your free copy, or book a call with us today.
