Many attorneys at big firms have the luxury of having a secretary, a paralegal, and other support staff to them through their day. Most solo practitioners are all-in-one shops, and do everything from their own bookkeeping, to mailing motions, and answering phones. If you operate a successful solo firm, outsource some tasks to free up more of your time and maximize your productivity.
Virtual assistants (VA) can answer phones, return phone calls, and conduct client intake. If you are always busy, or just do not like client intake, a virtual assistant can take care of that. If your VA logs their time, you could expect maybe 1-2 hours a day, for a total of maybe 10 hours a week. At $10/hr, that adds up over the month. But, if the VA gets back to clients faster then you do, this can create an upswing in retainers, which covers the cost.
VAs can also maintain websites, blogs, or oversee a social media campaign. While many of these tasks by themselves are not enormous drains on your time, they do add up. When you find yourself spending two hours trying to change the font on your website, that is not good use of your time.
When you can afford it, outsource some of your daily tasks, and your productivity will soar.
(photo: alborzshawn)
Randall Ryder practices consumer rights law in Minnesota and is a publisher of Elder Parent Help. Follow him @randallryder.
Lawyerist is the #1 law practice blog. We write about marketing, practice management, career development, and more.