The main reason lawyers reach out to us for help is because they’re struggling to keep on top of their workload. They know things aren’t working and that outsourcing could help. However, they’re often not sure what to outsource, how it works in practice and what the benefits are. That’s where we can assist.
Unsure what tasks to outsource? Try D.A.R.T
Entrepreneur Jessica Jackley said of outsourcing and delegation:
“Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.”
It’s an important philosophy that shows that outsourcing isn’t something that happens by chance or due to a reluctance to complete a task. It’s a considered business decision. But how do you know what to outsource? Well, to me, the answer lies in this simple acronym: D.A.R.T.
You want to outsource tasks that are:
Delegable –they don’t require your specific expertise and could be completed by others.
Administrative – they’re not fee-earning or directly relational to your ability to earn.
Repetitive – they must be done multiple times a day, week, or even month.
Time-consuming – they take a lot of time, even if you only do them occasionally.
Any task that hits one of the principles of D.A.R.T could be considered for outsourcing. However, once a task falls into two or more categories, it becomes a priority candidate for outsourcing.
What does this mean for lawyers? What tasks can we outsource?
So, if you’re a lawyer reading this, how can you apply D.A.R.T. in your firm? Well, as legal virtual assistants, we have a good idea of what tasks are right for delegation.
Here are 7 tasks to outsource to a legal PA and the added value we can offer as experienced legal PAs:
1. Diary management
Arranging a meeting is rarely a quick task – you need to check attendee availability, organise a room, and often cover logistics like travel and catering.
If you’re a busy partner with various management and board meetings to attend or organise, having a PA is a huge time saver. We take care of all the logistics and people appreciate the human touch over using apps like Calendly. We’re experienced at working across time zones and factoring in travel time.
We will ensure all relevant information is attached to the appointment such as details on the person you’re meeting, relevant documents, train tickets and everything you need to feel prepared and ready.
2. Document management
Law firms are document-driven organisations. Formatting, filing, version control and document creation are time-consuming activities that are better delegated. We often see (and fix!) documents that contain multiple issues, including misnumbering, inconsistent formatting, and tables of content pulling the wrong headings and clauses through.
Our Legal PAs can help organise your documentation and assist with:
- Formatting
- Editing
- Redacting
- Inserting cross-references and a table of contents
- Creating company templates and precedent documents using house-style
- E-signing tasks – sending documents to signers, tracking completion and collating
- Downloading documents from data rooms and uploading them into matters.
- Filing documents
P.s. As well as being Word wizards, we’re also great at PowerPoint if you need help with your presentations.
3. Client Onboarding
Onboarding is one of our specialisms. Not only can we help you to onboard new clients, we can audit your processes to ensure they’re working effectively. We work alongside IT companies to streamline, reduce touchpoints, and add automations where possible.
Once established, we can manage the process from start to finish for you, ensuring the client is onboarded quickly and chased for information if needed. We can draft the Client Engagement Letter for your review, action the KYC (following SRA guidelines), corresponding with the MLRO where needed, open the file, create client fund requests and initial invoices.
4. Consultant onboarding
As well as onboarding new clients, we can also help onboard new consultants or remote team members. With our help, we can get your new team member working with you quickly and can follow up on any paperwork and admin necessities.
5. Event management
Training days, conferences, Christmas parties, team days – there are many reasons why we want to come together in the workplace. However, one thing that all these events have in common is organisation.
We can help with:
- Managing attendance and bookings (including e-ticketing)
- Choosing and booking a venue
- Arranging catering (and requesting dietary requirements of attendees)
- Booking speakers or additional services such as equipment hire
- Event communications and marketing
6. Invoicing
It’s an essential part of any business, but creating invoices, chasing clients for payment and keeping all your records filed and manageable is a big job. We can handle your invoice, time tracking and expense procedures, leaving you free to pursue the fee-earning work that really counts.
7. Transcription and audio typing
Agreements, contracts, letters, court documents, deeds and reports are often easier for busy lawyers to dictate than to sit down and write. However, this leaves a lot of typing up work once you need the document in a written format.
We can save you time by taking your audio notes and turning them into typed and formatted documents. As well as the legal documents outlined above, we can help with typing up meeting notes, podcasts, phone calls, and court hearings. All you need to do is send us the audio file.
A large number of our lawyer clients also communicate with our PA’s via voice notes on WhatsApp to give instructions. So much quicker and easier especially when you’re on the go.
Why use a specialist legal PA
A legal PA or VA has unique skills and experiences that a generalist PA won’t normally be able to offer. We understand the legal sector, its terminology, documentation and deadlines. Legal really is a unique industry and you want to be sure that your legal tasks are being handled by someone that understands the sector. As an example, over my 23 years in the business, I’ve worked predominately in conveyancing, litigation and commercial, but I also have some experience with family, immigration and employment law.
Our experienced team each has legal specialisms from time working in law firms. When we receive enquiries, we’ll always try to match you with a VA familiar with your practice area.
Ready to outsource to a Legal VA?
If you have legal tasks piling up that you want to outsource then get in touch, we’d be happy to help.
