Legal Staffing for Law Firms, Sized to Your Caseload
Paralegals, legal assistants, and administrative staff — vetted, insured, and assigned to your firm. Twenty hours a month or forty. No long-term contract. Chicago-based since 2002.
Most firms don't have a staffing problem. They have a math problem.
Of small firm attorneys say hiring is their biggest operational challenge
Annual cost of one full-time paralegal in Illinois (salary + benefits + overhead)
Weeks average vacancy window when a staff member leaves
Of solo and small-firm attorneys can't consistently fill 40 billable hours
The five reasons firms choose Amata over full-time hiring
Same Person, Every Time
+Recapture Billable Hours
+Zero Hiring Risk
+Insured & Liability-Protected
+Scale Without Commitment
+Save $87K–$97K Annually
+
Continuity, expertise, and support built in.
What Chicago attorneys actually say about staffing
“I can't justify hiring full-time when I don't have 40 billable hours a week.”
The math doesn't work. A full-time paralegal or administrator costs $150K+ a year with benefits. I need 25 hours of work a month, not 173.
Solo attorney · Real estate practice
“Temp agencies send different people every time.”
By the time someone learns my systems and cases, they're gone. We spend more time training temps than doing actual legal work.
5-attorney litigation firm
“I'm drowning in admin work.”
Court runs, filing, scheduling, intake — it all lands on me. I went to law school to practice law, not manage calendars and copy machines.
2-attorney family law practice
“Hiring feels like a lottery.”
We've hired three times in two years. Each time it's weeks of interviews, onboarding, and hoping they work out. When they don't, we start over.
Solo practitioner + 1 staff
Why traditional hiring doesn't work for small firms
Three hiring models. One winner for solo and small practice.
What is a legal staffing agency?
Answer
A legal staffing agency places paralegals, legal assistants, and administrative staff with law firms on a temporary, contract, or permanent basis. Agencies typically charge an hourly markup on temporary placements, and a separate fee when a temporary placement converts to permanent employment at the firm.
Legal staffing agency vs. fractional staffing: which fits your firm?
Answer
A staffing agency fills a seat with a temp who rotates between assignments. Fractional staffing assigns you a dedicated staff member for a set number of hours each month, with a named backup and no requirement to fill forty hours. Agencies fit full-time needs; fractional fits real caseload.
| Traditional Staffing Agency | Amata Fractional Staffing | |
|---|---|---|
| Who the person works for | The agency, between assignments | Amata, assigned to your firm |
| Continuity | Rotates | Same person month to month |
| Minimum commitment | Often full-time hours | 20 hours per month |
| Vetting you can inspect | Varies — ask | Six pre-hire steps, published in full |
| Backup when your person is out | Find someone new | Named backup, already familiar with your matters |
| Professional liability coverage | Varies — ask | Carried on every staff member |
| Contract length | Varies | One calendar month's written notice to cancel |
| On-site work in Chicago | Rarely | Yes — four Loop locations plus Chesterton |
What roles can we staff?
Amata staffs paralegals for substantive legal work under your supervision, executive assistants for senior calendar and client coordination, and administrative staff for intake, filing, court runs, and the physical back office. Each role is available on a monthly program or hourly, and most firms use some combination.
Paralegal Support
Drafting, discovery, document review, legal research, case management, trial preparation. Billable to your clients. Performed under your supervision.
Learn about Paralegal-40
Executive Assistant Support
Calendar, inbox, client communication, travel, vendor coordination, and the operational work that keeps a practice moving.
Learn about EA-30
Administrative Support
Intake, filing, copying, mail, court runs, Clerk's office and Vital Records trips, courtesy copies to judges. On-site in Chicago.
Learn about Admin-20Flexible staffing.
Transparent pricing.
Exponential value.
Monthly programs are 32% cheaper than hourly rates, every hour you use. Scale up or down month-to-month. No long-term contracts. No hidden markups.
The Math: $90/hr × 20 hours = $1,800 hourly; same work as Admin-20 is $980 monthly. That's 32% cheaper, every hour you use.
No hidden markups. No onboarding fees. Month-to-month cancellation on one calendar month's written notice.
How do you know the person is vetted?
Every Amata staff member passes six pre-hire screening steps plus two binding protections once they're hired. That standard is published in full. Most temp agencies will tell you to "ask about our process." We tell you what the process is.
Professional Liability Insurance: What It Means for Your Firm
Every Amata staff member carries E&O insurance from a top-tier carrier. Here's what that protects you from:
Errors & omissions
Insurance covers the mistake, not your firm
Missed deadlines
Coverage extends to client claims from filing delays
Document failures
Insurance includes malpractice liability
Why this matters: When you hire a freelancer or independent contractor, you assume liability for their errors. With Amata, that liability is transferred. Your firm is protected.
Which program is right for you?
Answer three questions. We'll show you the program that matches your firm, plus your estimated annual savings.
Questions about legal staffing.
Answers specific to Amata's fractional legal staffing model.
Ask Us DirectlyA traditional staffing agency fills a seat with a temp who rotates between assignments. Fractional staffing assigns you a dedicated staff member for a set number of hours each month, with a named backup and no requirement to fill forty hours. Agencies fit full-time needs; fractional fits real caseload.
Yes — all three. Paralegal support for substantive legal work under your supervision, executive assistant support for calendar and client coordination, and administrative support for intake, filing, court runs, and back-office work. Each role is available on a monthly program or hourly.
Six pre-hire screening steps: identity verification, background check, comprehensive legal and administrative skills assessment, reference checks, writing sample, and one-on-one intake interview. Plus two binding protections: professional liability insurance on every staff member, and a thirty-day satisfaction guarantee — if it's not working, we replace them at no cost.
Yes, truly month-to-month. Admin-20 ($980), EA-30 ($1,650), or Paralegal-40 ($2,520). Cancellation requires one calendar month's written notice. You can switch programs month to month — no renegotiation, no long-term contract. That's the whole model.
Hire hourly at $70/hr (admin) or $90/hr (paralegal). Billing weekly. You get the same vetted staff from our six-step process, with professional liability insurance. No pressure to commit to a monthly program.
On-site at one of our Chicago or Chesterton locations, or at your office, or a blend. Administrative work (filing, court runs, Vital Records requests) must happen on-site. Paralegal and EA work can be anywhere.
Permanent placement is planned for 2027, and terms and pricing are still being finalized. A conversion fee will apply. The amount and structure depend on role and tenure. If you're thinking in that direction, call and let's sketch out what that could look like.
Since 2002 — twenty-four years. We've staffed over one thousand eight hundred law firms cumulatively, and currently serve around eight hundred active firms in the Chicago market and beyond.
Yes — every Amata staff member carries professional liability insurance. It's part of our vetting standard and binding protection. You're not hiring an uninsured freelancer; you're hiring a vetted team member backed by coverage.
You have a named backup who is already familiar with your matters. We don't tell you to "find someone new" — continuity is the entire model. Your backup is trained and ready to step in so the work doesn't stall.
More staffing options.
Paralegal Support
Substantive legal work — drafting, discovery, document review, legal research, trial prep. 40 hours/mo at $2,520.
Explore Paralegal-40Executive Assistant Support
Calendar, inbox, travel, and client coordination. 30 hours/mo at $1,650. Acts on your behalf.
Explore EA-30All Programs
Compare every offering — including the Marketing Lab, strategy and campaigns for your firm.
Compare All ServicesStop staffing at full-time costs.
Start scaling to your caseload.
Talk to your Amata Account Executive about which program fits — Admin-20, EA-30, Paralegal-40, or hourly on-demand. We'll map out what the first month looks like and match you with the right person.
Let's Find Your Right Fit
Tell us about your practice and caseload. We'll recommend the right engagement — hourly, a monthly program, or a blend. We respond within one business day.
Request Legal Staffing or More Information
Ready to talk? Tell us about your practice and we'll match you with the right engagement.
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