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Is “Fractional Hiring” Here to Stay for Law Firms?

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In 1872, there were only 15 law firms with 4 or more lawyers in the US. By 1903, that number had grown to 210, and in 1924 it had grown to over 1,000 (Source). There used to be a time when most lawyers would work in-house in big corporations with rigid schedules. Then, in the 50s and 60s, law firms experienced what’s known as the “Golden Era”. Corporations grew rapidly and demanded lawyers to work inside firms, so they could serve several clients while managing their schedule.

 

Thus, the “Fractional Lawyer” was born. Working part-time, on-demand hours became the norm, and the fixed salaries were replaced with the billable hours and “per project” billing system.

 

This trend of fractionalizing workers has expanded to many other professions since. Today there are Fractional CFOs, CMOs, CTOs, and even CEOs. Businesses benefit because they can hire highly qualified talent without a full-time salary, and workers have more freedom over their hours, workload, rates, and professional future.

 

Here are Amata we are pioneering a new frontier in the history of Fractionalizing: Fractional Support Services for Law Firms, served as a “complete but on-demand” package. Here’s what that means.

 

 

Most solo practitioners and small law firms do not need a full-time receptionist, full-time assistant, or paralegal. Tight budgets and a fluctuation workload mean they need extra support in their business on-demand. What if there was a simple way to tap into this support?

Our new Fractional Support Service Programs allow you to do that. They include five packages plus pay-as-you-need-it pricing options. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how they work:

 

Fractional Support Service Programs

  1. 30 hours/month of Executive Virtual Assistant service and in-person administrative assistance. This is an 80%/20% program, where up to 20% or 6 hours of time each month may be allotted to an in-person administrator for court runs, courtesy copies to judges, trips to the clerk’s office and the vital records office. It may also be used for copy work or any other task an administrator can perform.
  2. 15 hours/month of Executive Virtual Assistant service. This program is 100% Virtual Executive Assistant service, including email management, appointment setting, social media management, and event scheduling, and any other task a Virtual Executive Assistant may perform
  3. 15 hours/month of On-site Admin Support. This program includes court runs, trips to the clerk’s office or Vital Records, copying, scanning, mail preparation, and all other admin support services available at Amata. 
  4. 10 hours/month of paralegal support. This service may include document drafting, document review projects, case management, and any other task a paralegal may perform.
  5. 18 hours/month of paralegal support. This service may include document drafting, document review projects, case management, and any other task a paralegal may perform.

These programs will auto-renew each month until canceled and must be purchased and paid for prior to work being performed. Any unused hours expire at the end of the month and do not roll over into the next month. All monthly overages will be invoiced at the pay-as-you-need-it rates.

 

“Amata makes the transition from large law firm to solo practitioner virtually effortless. Secretarial and paralegal services are available at competitive rates on an ‘as needed, pay-as-you-go’ basis which is ideal for the solo practitioner or small law firm.”

Paula Kaplan Berger BERGER LAW, LLC

 

We believe fractional hiring is here to stay for law firms. Most workers want flexibility in their calendars and most businesses want to pay for only the hours that they need. This setup meets the needs of both, allowing you to grow your law firm while delegating day-to-day admin tasks (at rates you can afford).

If you would like to know the cost of our Fractional Services Packages, click here to contact our team.

Your Employees Are Not Working 8 Hours A Day

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Recently International Workers’ Day was celebrated across the world, but not in the US. While in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, workers’ day is celebrated (on May 1st), labor day is celebrated in the US (on the first Monday of September).

 

The differences are immense. One celebrates the person, and the other the activity. Without getting into any political or moral discussions, this highlights the culture of glorified work that exists today in the US.

 

The eight-hour workday was created during the Industrial Revolution, after factory workers started to riot against 10-16-hour workdays in Chicago. The day was divided into “eight hours labor, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest.”

But this eight-hour moment didn’t become mainstream until in 1914, Ford Motor Company decided to cut the daily hours down to eight while doubling wages for workers. To everyone’s surprise, this increased productivity.

 

Today, a new movement arises: Should we cut the eight-hour, five-day-per-week work schedules even further? With the advances in technology, is working all these hours even necessary?

 

Your Employees Aren’t Probably Working As Much As You Think

The truth is that most humans cannot concentrate for 8 hours per day. According to field studies, the average worker is only productive for two hours and 53 minutes per day.

 

That means only about 3 hours per day are devoted to meaningful work. The rest are spent checking emails, browsing social media, discussing non-work-related things with co-workers, taking breaks, researching, and making calls.

 

This means that your employees aren’t probably working as much as you think, which is great because it means they can still get a lot done with just a few hours each day. What is hard is realizing that you are likely overpaying for full-time employees, which impacts your clients because you need to raise prices just to stay profitable.

 

 

It is not that your employees are ‘bad’ or have dishonest intentions. Just like them, we probably only have 3 hours every day to do truly productive work. So what should we do, given this reality?

 

The New Way To Work

What people are realizing is that there are smarter ways to work. If we trim everything in our workdays that isn’t our core functions (such as emails, managing social media, answering calls, etc), we are left with just a handful of tasks that are within our zone of genius. These are the tasks where we can have the most impact, that we enjoy the most, and what ultimately we get paid for.

 

This is why at Amata we created Fractional Support Services. Most small law firms will not need a full-time paralegal, virtual assistant, and on-site administrative staff. What they need are flexible packages that allow them to hire support on demand (hourly), so that their in-house team can focus on their core responsibilities and become more productive.

Some of the benefits of hiring fractional (part-time) support are:

 

  • Save 60% compared to a full-time employee
  • Take mundane tasks off your daily to-do list
  • Spend more time working with your clients
  • Work with a team to support your practice, not just one or two employees
  • No more time or money spent recruiting
  • Zero employee benefits costs
  • Scale team up for busy periods, scale down when done
  • No more payroll to cover during slow periods
  • Get expertise to help organize your days and reduce the anxiety created when you feel under pressure
  • Make more client deadlines without sacrificing work/life balance
  • Make time to take on more clients

This removes the bottleneck on your operational needs while maintaining flexibility on costs. You can scale up and down without needing to pay for full-time employees, so your full-time associates and key employees can do the most profitable work that they love doing.

 

 

You don’t need a large hiring budget to get operational support for your law firm. With Amata’s new Fractional Support Services, you can hire the specific help you need at affordable rates, and only pay hours actually worked.

Click here to learn more about the different packages we offer!

Improving Client Retention With Done-For-You Relationship Nurturing

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There’s a story of a realtor who became Michigan’s top realtor by doing one thing really well: Building relationships. Instead of going door to door bugging people, he would keep a list of all his clients’ birthdays and favorite restaurants. When the client’s birthday arrived, he would send them a handwritten note with a coupon code to claim a dessert at their favorite restaurant.

That was it. No advertisement, no expensive marketing, or secret selling secrets. People would be shocked that this person (whom they have seen once or twice) would remember their birthday, and immediately refer him to the next person looking to sell their home.

By simply sending a special gift on people’s birthdays, he became Michigan’s top realtor for several consecutive years.

 

 

You probably know this, but relationships are the key to attracting and retaining clients. Long-lasting business relationships are built on trust, affinity, and going the extra mile. The question is, how can you nurture your relationships while also leveraging your time?

 

Enter Outsourced Relationship Nurturing

There are certain things that only you, as a founder and lawyer, can do. You are the only one who can go to networking events, create strategic relationships, and lead the strategy on cases. But one of the things you CAN delegate are micro-experiences that delight clients.

 

Small gestures like sending birthday greetings, remembering significant events like your client’s mother’s surgery, sharing insightful articles, and sending occasional thank-you cards might seem insignificant, but they can have a profound impact. These actions, which require minimal investment, can set you apart from the competition, forge deeper connections with your clients, and solidify their loyalty.

 

Not only will they be more likely to stay with you, but they’ll also be inclined to recommend your services to their network, expanding your reach and influence.

 

Most founders genuinely care about their clients, but the challenge often lies in finding the time to nurture these relationships effectively. This is where leveraging the support of a part-time virtual assistant can be transformative. By strategically delegating the task of relationship nurturing within your law firm, you free up valuable time to focus on core business activities. This not only enhances client satisfaction and loyalty but also has a direct positive impact on your bottom line.

 

 

Designing An 11-Star Experience

One of the things that has made Airbnb so successful is, in the words of their founder Brian Chesky, “scaling a magical experience.” When they were thinking about how to create a thriving company that would revolutionize the entire hospitality industry, they came up with the 11-star customer experience.

“What would it take for me to design something that you would literally tell every single person you’ve ever encountered?” Asks Chesky.

 

What would a 5-star experience for a law firm be? Maybe it is entering the office and being told to wait in the lobby. A 6-star experience might include a drink while the client waits.

 

Now, if you thought about a 10 or 11-star experience, it could include things like picking up clients at the airport on a Rolls Royce, listening to them with extreme care, solving their issues promptly, and going the extra mile on every single one of their requests. The point is to find the sweet spot between overdelivering for clients and creating a wow experience, while also being able to replicate this experience and sustain it over time.

 

So ask yourself: If there were no limits or constraints, what would you do for clients so that they couldn’t help but speak about you to every single person they encounter?

 

 

Building Relationships At Scale

Most lawyers are busy already. How can they find time to remember their clients’ birthdays and send them thank-you notes?

 

With Amata’s new Fractional Support Packages, you can hire an executive virtual assistant, an in-person administrative assistant, and paralegal support just for the hours that you need. No more overpaying for hours that you don’t need. You can pay as you need it with our flexible services that scale up and down to accommodate to your growth and seasonality.

 

By outsourcing these minor yet impactful details, you’re standing out and ensuring you remain at the forefront of your clients’ minds. This strategy also cultivates a loyal client base that will continue to seek out your services and enthusiastically refer others to you for years to come.

 

With Amata’s on-demand, fractional support, you can nurture your most important business relationships and create a direct ROI — Without the necessity of committing to a full-time hire.

 

Click here to learn more about our Fractional Support Services!

Starting Your Own Practice? Here’s How Amata Saves You on Costs

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Starting your own practice is both exciting and scary. You envision all the things you want to do, achieve, and create, but at the same time the road to getting there feels uncertain.

That is why today we want to show you a simpler, more cost-effective way to start your law firm: Amata’s full-service law firm programs.

 

The 2 Biggest Costs Law Firms Incur

Achieving profitability is a constant balancing act between increasing revenue and decreasing expenses. In the beginning, when you probably have only a handful of clients, you want to keep a close look at expenses. This is what creates the positive cash flow to invest in team and infrastructure, so you can grow your business.

At Amata we have served attorneys for more than 21 years. That is why we designed unique solutions to reduce your two biggest expenses: Hiring and office space.

According to the 2020 Report on the State of the Legal Market by Thomson Reuters and Georgetown University’s Center on Ethics and the Legal Profession, law firms’ biggest expenses are:

 

  1. Personnel Costs: This includes salaries, benefits, and bonuses for lawyers, paralegals, administrative staff, and other professionals. They typically represent the largest expense for law firms, accounting for around 55% to 60% of total expenses.
  2. Office Space: Rent or mortgage payments for office space can be substantial, especially in prime locations. Additionally, expenses related to utilities, maintenance, and insurance also contribute to office costs. Office space and related occupancy costs account for approximately 10% to 15% of total expenses.
  3. Technology Infrastructure: Law firms invest heavily in technology for case management, document storage, billing, and communication. This includes software licenses, hardware purchases, IT support, and cybersecurity measures.
  4. Marketing and Business Development: Law firms often allocate significant funds to marketing and business development efforts to attract new clients and retain existing ones. This may include advertising, website development, networking events, and sponsorships.
  5. Professional Development and Training: Continuing education and professional development are essential for lawyers to stay updated on legal developments and maintain their expertise. Law firms may incur expenses for training programs, seminars, conferences, and certifications.
  6. Litigation Costs: For firms engaged in litigation, expenses such as court fees, expert witness fees, deposition transcripts, and travel costs can be substantial.
  7. Insurance: Professional liability insurance is a significant expense for law firms to protect against malpractice claims. Additionally, firms may purchase other types of insurance coverage such as general liability and cyber liability insurance.
  8. Administrative Expenses: This includes costs associated with office supplies, postage, printing, and other day-to-day operational expenses.

 

As you can see, personnel costs and office space can account for up to 70%-80% of a law firm’s expenses. If you can reduce costs on these two items, you give yourself a massive advantage over every other competitor in your market.

 

 

How Amata Saves You On Personnel and Office Expenses

Our full-service law firm programs are designed to do three things:

 

  • Give you access to everything you need to grow your law firm, including paralegals, virtual assistants, administrative staff, conference rooms, and more.

    Whether you’re running a virtual or physical office, Amata provides on-demand (hourly) support services in the form of admin assistants, paralegals, receptionists, and business phone/phone app services that help you cross tasks off your to-do lists and get back to growing your business.


  • Grow in a flexible way that adjusts to the ups and downs of the market. For example, if an associate suddenly leaves, you can drop office space without penalties. Or if you see a surge in clients and need new offices, you can also add them without rigid lease terms that impede it.

    Amata provides 12-month lease terms with a 30-day notice to adjust office space. This allows you to reduce costs and maintain profitability when you need it most.


  • Build a team you can delegate to, so you and your associates can focus on billable hours and enjoying a healthy work-life balance.

    When revenue goes down, you need to reduce expenses to maintain profit. Amata provides flexibility to achieve this in your office space and personnel costs.

 

Fractional Support Services

Our newest package allows you to hire pre-vetted talent at just the hours that you need. There are five pre-made packages, plus a pay-as-you-need-it option:

 

Program Benefits

  • Save 60% compared to a full-time employee
  • Take mundane tasks off your daily to-do list
  • Spend more time working with your clients
  • Work with a team to support your practice, not just one or two employees
  • No more time or money spent recruiting
  • Zero employee benefits costs
  • Scale team up for busy periods, scale down when done
  • No more payroll to cover during slow periods
  • Get expertise to help organize your days and reduce the anxiety created when you feel under pressure
  • Make more client deadlines without sacrificing work/life balance
  • Make time to take on more clients

 

To learn more about our program, contact our team here. Our programs allow you to hire support staff and access premium offices at flexible rates. We are ready to support your new law firm and see you thrive!

Is Your Admin Staff Leaving You? It Might Be Because You Don’t Need Them Full-time

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People quit their jobs for many reasons. And besides the obvious ones (relocation, burnout, low pay), there is one reason that most leaders haven’t considered: Feeling underutilized.

High performers want to grow in their careers, make a tangible impact, and do challenging work. Many assistants and administrative staff also have a serving heart: They want to truly contribute and feel valued. If they feel that the work they do is meaningful, they will want to move on.

This article presents a solution for this — One that works for both the employee and those law firms looking to retain good people while protecting their margins.

 

Why Admin Staff Leave Their Employees

The right administrative staff can cut your workload, handle repetitive day-to-day tasks, streamline operations, and allow your lawyers to focus on their core responsibilities.

However, a concerning trend has emerged—qualified and capable administrative professionals are leaving their positions, often due to feeling underutilized in their roles. The Gloat Survey revealed that 34% of American workers feel underutilized at work, prompting them to quit.

This begs the question: Are law firms overlooking the potential benefits of hiring administrative staff on an hourly basis?

 

The traditional model of hiring full-time administrative staff has long been the norm for law firms. However, as work structures evolve and technology enables greater flexibility, the one-size-fits-all approach may no longer be the most effective solution. Small law firms, in particular, can benefit from reevaluating their staffing strategies to better align with the needs of both the firm and its employees.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) estimates that the cost of replacing an employee can range from 50% to 60% of their annual salary. For small law firms operating on tight budgets, the prospect of frequent turnover among administrative staff can have significant ramifications on profitability and overall firm performance.

So, what can small law firms do to address this issue? The answer lies in embracing a more flexible approach to staffing by hiring administrative professionals on an hourly basis. By doing so, firms can harness the expertise of skilled professionals without committing to the financial burden of a full-time salary.

 

Fractional Support Services

Having worked with more than 6,000 solo practitioners and small law firms, Amata has created a new program that solves this issue. It provides flexibility in hiring, so that lawyers can experience the benefits admin staff provides (reduced workload, less stress, smoother operations) without having to commit to a full-time employee.

The Fractional Support Services Programs have five different packages, plus a pay-as-you-need-it service pricing.

This offers several advantages:

  1. For the firm, it provides the flexibility to scale staffing levels based on fluctuating workloads, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently.During periods of high demand, such as when preparing for trials or managing multiple client files simultaneously, firms can easily increase staffing levels to meet the surge in workload. Conversely, during quieter periods or lulls in activity, firms can scale back on staffing without the financial burden of maintaining full-time positions.
  2. For admin staff, fractional employment offers greater autonomy and work-life balance. Rather than being tied to a rigid 9-to-5 schedule, employees can choose to work the hours that best suit their needs, whether it be during traditional business hours or outside of them.This flexibility can lead to increased job satisfaction and employee retention, as individuals feel empowered to manage their work in a manner that aligns with their personal lives.
  3. Furthermore, hiring administrative staff on an hourly basis enables firms to leverage specialized expertise as needed, without the overhead costs associated with maintaining full-time positions. Whether it’s project-based work, temporary support during peak periods, or assistance with specific tasks, firms can tailor their staffing arrangements to suit their evolving needs.

 

By avoiding the costs associated with idle employees during slower periods, such as salaries, benefits, and overhead expenses, firms can maintain financial stability and maximize profitability.

 

A New Way Of Work

Fractional Support Services allows law firms to scale staffing levels based on fluctuating workloads. This empowers you to operate more efficiently, respond effectively to changing demands, and remain competitive in today’s competitive marketplace.

The traditional model of hiring full-time administrative staff is no longer the most effective solution for small law firms. By embracing a fractional approach to staffing and hiring administrative professionals on an hourly basis, you can significantly increase efficiency, profitability, work/life balance, and employee satisfaction.

Click here to learn more about our Fractional Support Packages and how they can help you scale profits without scaling your hours.

Streamline Your Law Firm With Virtual and On-Site Assistants

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Did you know a virtual and on-site assistant are all you need to drastically reduce your workload and unlock new growth? Over 6,000 lawyers have experienced this with our attorney support services.

And now, for the first time, you can mix virtual and on-site assistants together, adjusting the hours that they work to your exact needs, so you can effectively benefit from the best of both worlds.

Introducing Fractional Support Services

Amata is committed to innovation. For years we have seen how many solo and small law firms NEED support on a daily basis, but they cannot afford a full-time hire yet. Either their finances cannot support it, or they do not have sufficient workload to justify a full-time hire.

Our Fractional Support Services solve that.

We have five package programs, plus a pay-as-you-need-it service pricing, to match the exact support needs of your law firm. In this article we are going to focus on one of the packages, which combines virtual and on-site assistants for the first time.

What a Virtual Assistant Can Do For You

In the book “Buy Back Your Time,” productivity and growth expert Dan Martell explains:

“If you want to see your business explode, hiring an assistant is non-negotiable. It’s the first hire every entrepreneur should make. Every hour you spend on admin tasks, answering emails, managing your calendar, calling the gardener, paying bills, et cetera is an hour robbed from your business, family, and dream life.”

Why is a virtual assistant such an impactful hire for a business owner? It’s because, with proper training, they can “clone” you and take over all those essential but time-consuming tasks that are draining you.

These include:

  • Schedule meetings
  • Calendar management
  • Client follow up calls
  • Research
  • Party planning
  • Book events
  • On-line shopping
  • Social media posts
  • Online Directory management
  • Manage to-do lists
  • Email management
  • Organize events
  • Accounts Payable / Accounts Receivable entries
  • Client collection calls
  • Enter attorney time/expenses
  • Pay invoices
  • Create templates/forms/charts/timelines
  • Updating case management systems
  • Prepare/edit PowerPoint presentations
  • Data entry
  • E-filing

And more!

A virtual assistant becomes a gatekeeper of your time, helping you do more without your personal involvement.

In our new Fractional Support Services packages, you can choose the number of hours of Executive Virtual Assistant support you need and whether or not you need on-site admin assistance or not. No more feeling like you don’t have enough for them to do or that you cannot afford one. Our packages suit your budget and demand as you grow.

What an On-Site Administrative Assistant Can Do For You

While virtual assistants can do a lot, some things need to be done in person and by someone experienced. That is where administrative assistants come in. This all-encompassing position can do anything that is required to keep your law firm running smoothly, such as coordinating staff events, bookkeeping, and making runs to the Recorder’s office, Secretary of State, County and Federal buildings.

Here is a list of services and on-site administrative assistant can handle for you:

  • Daily runs to Courts, Clerk’s & Sheriff’s Offices
  • Obtain certified copies, record liens, deeds, birth and death certificates, apostilles, and more.
  • Pay fees, deliver courtesy copies, and obtain duplicate tax bills.
  • Billing & data entry
  • Greet your clients and answer your phone
  • Notary services
  • Document witness
  • Electronic filing services
  • Document delivery
  • Translation/interpreter services (documents, remote, and on-site)
  • Skip tracing
  • Social media posting, Google Analytics monitoring, posting articles, and creating reports

The reason why Amata’s administrative assistants can do so many of these things is because they are specifically trained in the legal industry. They have worked with other law firms for years and will know the ins and outs of managing your back office.

With our new Fractional Support Services packages, you choose to have an in-person administrative assistant on an 80/20 basis. This means that 80% of the time is allocated to a virtual assistant, and the remaining 20% to an in-person assistant. They will coordinate daily court runs, deliver courtesy copies to judges, keep vital records in your office, and also greet clients on your behalf.

By combining virtual assistants with on-site administrative assistants, you get the best of both worlds. You can drastically cut hours, allocate new time to grow, and increase profits without the risks of a full-time hire.

Amata’s support team allows you to get comfortable using the same staff member all the time, without carrying them on your payroll. You only pay for the hours they work for you and you never have to deal with employee benefits or payroll taxes.

If you would like to get started, contact our team today and we will give you all the information to hire your first (or next) virtual and on-site administrative powerful match.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

Can’t Afford to Hire a Team? With Fractional Services, You Probably Can

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One of the hardest things as a growing law firm is the catch-22 situation of needing to hire talent in order to grow, but not having the funds in order to do it. Many times, the founder is fully booked, knows he needs support in order to scale, but isn’t sure if his finances allow for a new hire.

We understand. Hiring full-time staff can be quite expensive, especially considering all the benefits that they are entitled to.

But what if there was a way to hire top talent for your law firm at precisely the rates that you can afford right now?

A New, More Flexible Way to Hire

The job market has been undergoing a change for the last few years. Hiring a full-time employee is no longer the most common or even preferred way to hire. In fact, according to World Bank indicators, nearly 46.6% of the global workforce (1.57 billion people) are “self-employed.” This means that almost half of the workforce are freelancers working with flexible arrangements that suit the demands of both the freelancer and the companies.

For example, let’s say you are spending way too much time researching cases, drafting documents, checking facts, interviewing witnesses, and communicating with clients. A well-prepared paralegal can take all these things off your plate, but hiring a full-time paralegal with 3+ years of experience costs between $60,370 and $97,100 in the state of Illinois.

When looking at that rate, you might be thinking:

a) “I do not have the funds to hire this person right now.”
b) “I could hire them, but my profitability would go through the root.”
c) “I could hire them and my profit margins could sustain it, I just don’t know if I have enough work available for them.”

In either of these situations, you will feel overwhelmed by the decision and probably put it away “until you’re ready for it.”

The problem is that your number of to-dos keeps growing, and you are constantly being pulled into activities that are not the highest and most productive use of your time (like preparing affidavits.) This is the catch-22 situation we referred to in the beginning, and can leave a law firm owner stuck for years working too much time for not enough profits.

Hire Top Talent for Your Law Firm Without Hurting Profitability

That’s when Amata’s Fractional Services come in. With them, you can hire paralegals, executive virtual assistants, and in-person administrative assistants for just the hours that you need. We have five different packages to fit the amount of available work you can delegate right now, and the budget that you can devote for this new hire.

Imagine having a paralegal with 20 years of experience working only 10 hours a month on your cases. You could delegate the most important parts of your cases, such as interviewing witnesses and managing clients, while you focus on networking with your higher-tier clientele, the overall strategy on cases, and spending more time doing what you love.

You could also have 30 hours a month of support between an Executive Virtual Assistant and an in-person Administrative Assistant. Your virtual assistant works 80% of those hours, helping manage your calendar, return client calls, schedule appointments, plan events, make travel arrangements, and more. In the meantime, your in-person assistant takes over the daily runs to courts, Clerk’s & Sheriff’s offices, obtains certified copies, files applications, delivers courtesy copies to judges, and any other task that requires your physical presence.

These are just two of the five pay-as-you-need-it packages Amata offers as Fractional Services. If you would like to see a detailed explanation of these five packages, including what they include and their discounted hourly rates, click here to learn more.

The fastest way to grow your law firm is to delegate all the things that are not contributing directly to your bottom line, so you and your attorneys can focus on billable hours, while everything else is taken care of. In this way, you can do your highest value and most energizing work, reduce your hours, and still be able to protect and grow your profitability.

If you would like to learn more about how our new Fractional Services help you do this, contact our team today and we’ll take care of you.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

Get the Exact Support Your Law Firm Needs to Grow

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Have you ever held yourself back from hiring a team member because you do not know if you will have enough work to keep them busy? 

Many solo practitioners and small law firms are choosing to do the work themselves instead of delegating it for this very reason. They dream of the day when their cash flow and workload will be enough in order to start delegating, scaling, and getting their time back, but they tell themselves “this is a luxury that I don’t yet have.”

For this very reason, Amata has released a powerful program that opens a new possibility: Hiring legal support staff now, for only the hours that you need it, and at reasonable rates that your budget can support.

This article will explain our new Fractional Support Services Program and how it allows you to stop waiting and start building the law firm and life that you want today.

 

How To Operate Like A Big Firm, Without Being One Yet

Most solo practitioners and small law firm owners come from a corporate background. They have experienced what is like having a paralegal drafting documents for them, conducting research on critical cases, and coordinating court hearings and mediations. They know the time relief that having an administrative assistant or a VA to handle all their client communications and administrative procedures creates. That is how AM250 firms get the most profit out of every team member: The lawyers focus on billable hours, while the support staff covers all the other tasks for them.

After all, “it takes a village” to see a lawyer succeed. Imagine if you could delegate all the menial tasks that are taking up your time, and then focus on only your highest impact activities, like billable hours, strategic networking, and enjoying time off. How much more productive, profitable, and energized would you be?

“Amata makes the transition from large law firm to solo practitioner virtually effortless. Secretarial and paralegal services are available at competitive rates on an ‘as needed, pay-as-you-go’ basis which is ideal for the solo practitioner or small law firm.”
Paula Kaplan Berger, BERGER LAW, LLC

Fractional Legal Support Services

Our new program allows you to hire legal support on a “pay as you need it” basis. Many solo practitioners and small law firms are holding themselves back from hiring (because they do not need it full-time), and this program fixes this forever.

There are five pre-made programs, and the option to also pay-as-you-need-it. Pick the one that suits you best!

Hybrid 30

30 hours/month of:

  • Executive Virtual Assistant Service, and
  • On-site Admin Support

This is an 80%/20% program, where up to 20% or 6 hours of time each month may be allotted to an in-person administrator for court runs, courtesy copies to judges, trips to the clerk’s office, and the vital records office. It may also be used for copy work or any other task an administrator can perform.

Investment: $900/month (a 39% discount from hourly rates.)

Virtual 15

15 hours/month of:

  • Executive Virtual Assistant Service

This program is 100% Virtual Executive Assistant service, including email management, appointment setting, social media management, and event scheduling, and any other task a Virtual Executive Assistant may perform.

Investment: $506/month (a 25% discount from hourly rates.)

On-Site 15

15 hours/month of:

  • On-site Admin Support

This program includes court runs, trips to the Clerk’s Office or Vital Records, copying, scanning, mail preparation, and all other admin support services available at Amata.

Investment: $731/month (for a 25% discount from hourly rates.)

Paralegal 10

10 hours/month of:

  • Paralegal support

This service may include document drafting, document review projects, case management, and any other task a paralegal may perform.

Investment: $1050/month (for a 12.5% discount from hourly rates.)

Paralegal 18

18 hours/month of:

  • Paralegal support

This service may include document drafting, document review projects, case management, and any other task a paralegal may perform.

Investment: $1620/month (for a 25% discount from hourly rates.)

 

These programs will auto-renew each month until canceled and must be purchased and paid for prior to work being performed. Any unused hours expire at the end of the month and do not roll over into the next month. All monthly overages will be invoiced at the pay-as-you-need-it rates:

    • Paralegal  $120/hour
    • On-site Admin  $65/hour
    • Virtual Executive Assistant $45/hour

Learn more about our Fractional Support Services Program here.

The Fastest Way to Grow Your Firm and Escape The Time For Money Trap

Most law firm owners want to generate more revenue and serve more clients, but are capped by their personal time. They simply do not have more hours in the day to build their team, streamline their operations, and create those strategic relationships that will take their law firm to the next level.

With our Fractional Support Packages, they can finally bring an experienced team on board, at rates that suit their budget. No longer do you have to choose between a full-time or nothing: You can now bring experienced paralegals, virtual assistants, and administrative staff at just the hours that you need.

In other words, you can start operating like a bigger, more profitable law firm, and clean your calendar from all those tasks that do not add directly to your bottom line or happiness.

Our Fractional Services can be paused at any moment and scaled up and down to match the exact demand and budget that you have at any time. If you would like to experience a new way to grow your firm without having to do all the work yourself, contact our team to get started today.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

The Fastest Way to Access Qualifying Witnesses for Your Notary Procedures

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Can you grow a law firm remotely? This is exactly what one of our clients did. He continued growing his practice in Atlanta, virtually from Chicago:

“[Amata’s on-staff notary] is a huge, huge convenience for me,” says Michael Milliman, a Michigan attorney who has a satellite office in Chicago through Amata.

When clients call, they don’t necessarily know that Michael is located in Chicago or frequently traveling, which he attributes to the professionalism of Amata’s receptionists. This is one example of how our legal support and live reception services can help you practice law on your own terms.

Three people at a table during a document review, with one person handing over a document to another while a woman prepares to sign it.

We Run The Office, You Run Your Practice

Notary services are a must for lawyers. The problem is that authenticating documents, certifying copies, and maintaining records are all time-consuming activities that do not add directly to your bottom line or energize most lawyers. So, following Amata’s philosophy of delegating as a way to grow your practice while enjoying life, we believe in most cases notary-related tasks should be delegated.

One example of this is finding qualifying witnesses. As you probably know, the law requires that you have two witnesses when signing legal documents, and they cannot be connected to the business. Their presence adds an extra layer of credibility to the procedure, confirming that signatories are acting willingly and without coercion.

However finding, scheduling, and coordinating these witnesses can be a time-consuming activity, especially with growing law firms that deal with a large number of contracts, affidavits, wills, and power of attorney. That is why Amata provides you with these witnesses, and can also act as the notary.

Two people sitting at a table, reviewing and signing documents, focus on their hands and the paperwork.

With Amata, you get on-demand notary services and qualifying witnesses. With Amata’s notary services, lawyers can quickly access a qualified professional to verify signatures, administer oaths, and certify document copies—all right in their office space. This allows them to focus on the most important parts of the case, like getting the parties to agree.

We are the only office space provider in Chicago who equips their locations with legal admins, certified paralegals, notary services, and more. Our expert legal staff charges by the minute, not the hour, so you only pay for help as needed. By having witnesses readily available within the office environment, lawyers can eliminate the need to coordinate external witnesses and avoid the risk of delays.

These witnesses are not only qualified but also familiar with the specific requirements and protocols involved in witnessing legal documents. This familiarity ensures that the witnessing process adheres to all legal standards and regulations, providing an added layer of confidence in the authenticity of the signatures.

Beyond the time-saving benefits, Amata’s comprehensive notary and witness services contribute to a more secure and controlled legal environment. In-house services reduce the reliance on external parties, minimizing the potential for errors or complications that may arise when dealing with unfamiliar notaries and witnesses. This enhances the overall reliability of legal documentation and reduces the likelihood of disputes or challenges.

“Amata makes the transition from large law firm to solo practitioner virtually effortless. Secretarial and paralegal services are available at competitive rates on an ‘as needed, pay-as-you-go’ basis which is ideal for the solo practitioner or small law firm.”

Paula Kaplan Berger. BERGER LAW, LLC

The Fastest Way to Access Qualifying Witnesses for Your Notary Procedures

Having readily available witnesses and notary services is a game-changer for legal professionals. Every moment saved in admin procedures can be redirected towards billable hours, business-building tasks, and life-enjoyment activities. Lawyers get to focus on their core responsibilities, meet tight deadlines, and serve their clients more efficiently — while ensuring their notarization and witnessing processes are seamless, secure, and compliant with legal standards.

Reap the benefit of having on-demand support from legal staff you know and trust. Our law office spaces include readily available qualifying witnesses, centralized notary services, and much more. Contact our team to learn more.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

Why Lawyers Need Sabbaticals

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Abu Fofanah, a 7 figure business owner, announced on his website:

📍On sabbatical

📌 I can’t promise anything, ask somebody else to do it

👨🏾‍💻 After years of working to pour into others— I’m walking away from millions in order to save myself.

While this may sound extreme, the reality is that burnout is a real problem that is increasingly affecting lawyers and remote professional service providers. According to the American Bar Association, 32% of lawyers experience symptoms of depression, and 23% struggle with anxiety. Also, a study by the recruitment agency Realm Recruit found that two-thirds of legal professionals have experienced burnout at least once throughout their careers.

“It’s a dangerous combination where people with ambitious personalities are working in an environment where clients demand so much and everything is urgent,” said Jan Dernestam, Co-Chair of the IBA Law Firm Management Committee.

As a leading voice on the importance of work-life balance, Amata is creating this article to help lawyers avoid burnout and stay fresh for their most rewarding work.

Why Lawyers Need Sabbaticals

There are certain things that just come with the territory. Lawyers often face heavy workloads and tight deadlines, leading to long working hours and high-pressure situations. The demands of handling numerous cases, managing client expectations, and meeting court deadlines contribute to chronic stress.

Dealing with legal cases can also take a significant emotional toll. Complex cases require critical decisions that can have profound consequences for clients. The weight of these responsibilities, combined with the potential for moral and ethical dilemmas, can all contribute to emotional exhaustion and burnout.

Lawyers may also find themselves in situations where they have limited control over their work environment, such as tight court schedules, unexpected case developments, or unpredictable client demands. The pressure to bill a certain number of hours can lead to overworking, sacrificing personal time, and neglecting self-care.

On top of that, the legal profession can be highly competitive, and lawyers may face uncertainty in their career paths. Clients often have high expectations and lawyers may feel compelled to meet unrealistic standards. This combination of unique factors can make lawyers more susceptible to burnout.

So when we say that lawyers need sabbaticals, we recognize taking 6 months off is likely not realistic for most lawyers. But there are three alternatives to stay fresh and enjoy a better work-life balance:

Strategy 1: Schedule Time Off (“Mini Sabbaticals”)

Mini sabbaticals are brief periods of time off, distinct from traditional vacations, that allow you to step away from the daily legal grind. These breaks, whether a long weekend or a few extra days sprinkled throughout the month, serve as a strategic investment in well-being, with positive impacts on both personal and professional life.

The key is to not wait for your schedule to be empty (something that will likely never happen), but to schedule your time off in advance. Even a few hours of rest can renew your focus and creativity, prevent burnout, and allow your best ideas to flourish.

And if you are worried about missing a call during your time off, that’s what our virtual assistants are here for.

Strategy 2: Delegate

Most professionals underestimate the time it takes them to check email, handle appointments, and return calls. These essential but time-consuming tasks can be delegated to a virtual legal assistant, which frees up your time to get new clients, win more cases, and run a profitable law firm.

With Amata’s “office-as-a-service” model, you can access on-demand (hourly) support services in the form of admin assistants, paralegals, receptionists, and business phone/phone app services that free your time to focus on billable hours and enjoying your life.

Strategy 3: Set Limits and Boundaries

Scheduling time off and delegating will get you a long way. But in the legal profession, where demands are incessant and the stakes are high, setting clear limits and boundaries is a must.

What is important to understand is that these boundaries not only safeguards your mental and physical well-being, but will they serve your clients and team in the long run. Having downtime is not selfish or a sign of weakness, but a key component of sustained high-performance.

This becomes even more important when working remotely. With constant connectivity, it’s crucial to set limits on after-hours emails and calls. Designate specific periods for uninterrupted focus or relaxation, and delineate reasonable working hours unless something truly urgent comes up.

Regular breaks are non-negotiable. Lawyers should make time for lunch, short walks, or moments of relaxation during the workday. These brief respites contribute to mental rejuvenation and prevent the cumulative stress that leads to burnout.

Working remotely is great but, without boundaries, it can also become unsustainable. By scheduling time off, delegating time-consuming activities that do not energize you (or directly add to your bottomline), and learning how to say no, you’ll create a healthier work/life balance and a more profitable law firm.

Contact us today and our team will guide you on how our flexible office plans and on-demand support staff can create a profitable law firm you never want to escape from.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.