Signs You Need A Paralegal In Your Law Office

When it comes to a successful law firm, efficiency is an important factor. No matter the size of the firm, its success is heavily dependent upon just how efficiently it operates. Having a paralegal on your team can give you a boost in the right direction. Paralegals aren't just trained to handle low-level legal tasks; they can also handle administrative tasks. If you don't have a paralegal on your staff and are convinced you don't need one, here are three signs that say otherwise.

Overloaded With Administrative Work

If you're overloaded with administrative tasks, chances are, you could use a paralegal on your team. While it's not uncommon to perform some light administrative tasks, this should take up a very small portion of your time. As an attorney, most of your time should be spent reviewing client cases, and researching and generating new clients, not sending out faxes or organizing case files. However, if you don't have someone on your team who knows how to perform these tasks, you won't be able to spend your time as you should.

Hiring a paralegal can solve this problem for you. From corresponding with clients to updating case files, a paralegal will be able to handle these administrative responsibilities. Remember, when you aren't able to spend your time handling more important tasks, you also aren't likely generating any income. Without steady income, the firm will ultimately suffer.

Frequent Client Complaints

Another sign that offers an indication that you need a paralegal on your team are recurrent client complaints. Unfortunately, clients aren't exactly understanding when you get backed up on their case. This is especially the case if the individual is facing a criminal charge or they are in the process of a lawsuit. If you are constantly receiving negative feedback from your clients about the unnecessarily slow progression of their case, your inability to spend an ample amount of time on each case could be the blame.

With a paralegal working with you, you will have an extra teammate who can help you work through your cases faster to keep your clients happier. Don't forget, a client can decide to withdraw their case from your caseload at any minute. Every case withdrawn is a profit lost, so you want to keep them satisfied.

If you don't have a paralegal on your team, make sure you aren't overlooking the increased efficiency one of these professionals can bring to your office.