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How Paralegals Boost Profits

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When Jane left her high-pressure job at a large firm, she dreamed big. She wanted to have her own practice and control her book of business, earning potential, and schedule.

 

However, she quickly found herself overwhelmed. Jane was handling every aspect of her practice—from client consultations and court appearances to legal research and document drafting. Quickly Jane found herself on the verge of burnout.

 

 

 

Sadly, Jane’s story is all too common among solo practitioners and small law firm owners. Despite their hard work, they struggle to keep up with deadlines, miss opportunities for new business, and find themselves working longer hours for less money.

 

How Paralegals Can Save The Day

 

One solution that can alleviate these pressures is the strategic use of paralegals. Paralegals can perform many core legal tasks for you, at more affordable rates for your law firm. This includes legal research, document preparation, case management, and more, allowing you to focus on higher-value work.

 

Increased Billable Hours and Revenue

 

Paralegals can increase your billable hours. Instead of spending hours on tasks that could be done by a paralegal, your attorneys can focus on billable activities, thereby increasing your firm’s overall revenue.

 

For instance: If a paralegal bills at $200 per hour compared to an attorney’s $450 per hour, the firm can charge clients for paralegal time. This is still profitable for the firm due to lower salary costs for paralegals.

 

This billing structure allows the firm to manage more cases simultaneously, enhancing productivity and profitability.

Capitalizing On Opportunities

 

When attorneys handle tasks that could be delegated to paralegals, they incur cost opportunities. This means they could be, with the same time, engaging in impactful activities for clients, their personal lives, and the firm’s growth.

 

Enhanced Client Satisfaction

 

Your clients will benefit from the lower costs associated with paralegal work. After all, they’ll receive the same high-quality legal services but at a reduced rate.

 

Additionally, with paralegals handling a portion of the workload, projects can be completed more quickly, enhancing your client satisfaction and your firm’s reputation.

 

Flexibility and Scalability with Fractional Paralegals

 

Depending on your needs, you can choose to hire full-time paralegals or opt for fractional paralegals. Fractional paralegals provide on-demand support and become an integral part of your firm’s operations, without the price tag. They offer flexibility, allowing your firm to scale without the fixed costs associated with permanent employees.

 

For example, a firm might pay a fractional paralegal $85 per hour and bill the client $170 per hour for their services. This arrangement not only covers the cost but also generates profit at no underutilization risk.

 

Amata’s Fractional Paralegal Services

 

If Jane’s story hits close to home, you may need paralegals. Let us help you avoid burnout and increase your firm’s profitability.

 

Hourly paralegals can free up your time on an as-needed basis. Our Fractional Support Services allow you to scale your workforce according to demand, ensuring you have the support you need during busy periods without the fixed costs of full-time staff.

 

Our paralegals are experts in various areas of law, ensuring that you receive high-quality support tailored to your firm’s needs. Contact us today to learn more about how our Fractional Paralegal services can handle routine legal tasks, reduce your workload, and boost your profitability.

Are Daily Runs Taking Too Much Of Your Time? Here’s How to Delegate Them

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What do you do when you’re too busy to handle admin tasks, but not profitable enough to delegate them?

 

As a small law firm owner, you are constantly balancing important tasks. From client consultations to court appearances, your day is packed, leaving little time for the daily administrative runs that are essential but time-consuming.

 

Yet, the challenge remains: your firm is not yet profitable enough to hire full-time staff to manage these tasks. This is where Amata’s Fractional Support services can be a game-changer for you.

 

The Challenge of Daily Runs

Daily runs to the courthouse, the Recorder’s Office, or the Secretary of State Office are critical for the smooth operation of your law practice. These tasks include filing documents, picking up certificates, searching court dockets, and delivering courtesy copies.

 

While essential, these activities can drain valuable time that could be better spent on billable work or strategic planning.

 

 

Amata Law Office Suites offers a unique solution tailored to small law firms like yours. With us, you can access experienced paralegals and administrative staff on an as-needed basis. This flexibility allows you to delegate daily runs and other administrative tasks without the financial burden of hiring full-time employees.

 

How It Works

  1. Experienced Paralegals at Your Service: Amata’s paralegals are seasoned professionals, many with over 20 years of experience in various legal disciplines. They are capable of handling a wide range of tasks, ensuring that your daily runs and other administrative duties are completed efficiently and accurately.

 

  1. Cost-Effective and Flexible: Amata offers paralegal services billed in 15-minute increments, with rates ranging from $65 to $180 per hour depending on the complexity and type of work. For law firms utilizing multiple Amata services, these rates are automatically discounted by 30%.  This pay-as-you-go model allows you to manage costs effectively and only pay for the services you need.

 

  1. Seamless Integration with Your Firm: Amata’s team members act as an extension of your law firm. You will work consistently with the same paralegal, building a relationship of trust and ensuring continuity in your operations.

 

Additionally, Amata’s extended line of credit means they can cover the associated costs for documents and filings, streamlining your billing process.

 

Additional Support Services

In addition to handling daily runs, Amata provides a range of support services that can further alleviate your workload:

 

Administrative Assistants: Our administrative assistants can help with e-filing, scheduling messengers, handling express mailing, entering billing, and even managing social media postings.

They work on-site at Amata offices, always available to assist with your needs.

 

Virtual Assistants: If you prefer remote support, Amata’s virtual assistants can act as invaluable gatekeepers, managing client call-backs, scheduling appointments, and more. This service helps reduce the stress and anxiety of managing a law practice, allowing you to focus on higher-priority tasks.

 

 

Running a small law firm is demanding, and every minute counts. By leveraging Amata’s hourly paralegal and administrative services, you can delegate time-consuming daily runs and other tasks, allowing you to focus on growing your practice and serving your clients more effectively. 

 

With Amata, you get the support you need without the financial strain of full-time hires, making it an ideal solution for small law firm owners looking to optimize their operations.

 

Explore how Amata can support your law firm and help you streamline your daily operations by contacting our team.

6 Ways Fractional Support Services Save You Time and Money

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With the rising costs of hiring full-time employees, law firms are finding innovative ways to keep increasing their staff without the added costs of salaries, benefits, and extensive recruitment efforts. One particularly effective strategy is the use of fractional support services. Here are eight ways they can save you both time and money:

 

  1. Adapting to Workload Fluctuations

Law firms often face fluctuating workloads due to varying case volumes and client demands. Flexible staffing allows you to scale your operations up or down based on current needs. This ensures that you pay for support you actually need, without the long-term financial commitment of full-time employees.

 

  1. Accessing Specialized Expertise on Demand

Fractional support staff bring specialized expertise without the price tag. By leveraging them, you can ensure high-quality work while avoiding the time and cost associated with training new full-time employees. This on-demand access to specialized skills can significantly enhance productivity, as tasks are handled more efficiently and with greater precision.

 

 

  1. Reducing Overhead Costs

Full-time employees require not only salaries but also benefits, office space, and equipment. In contrast, flexible support staff can work remotely or on a flexible schedule, which reduces your need for additional office space and resources.

With our scalable office plans, you can add or drop office space without penalties, saving on overhead costs by only paying for the space you actually use.

 

  1. Avoiding Long-Term Commitments

Fractional support services provide flexibility. This is particularly valuable for handling short-term projects or temporary increases in workload, such as during major case preparations or when full-time staff are on leave.

 

  1. Focusing on Core Activities

By outsourcing administrative and paralegal tasks to flexible support staff, you can focus more on billable hours, case strategy, and enjoying life. This significantly increases the revenue per employee of your firm: lawyers and key staff are able to dedicate more time to client interactions, case strategies, and courtroom preparations, while your fractional staff focuses on everything else.

 

 

 

  1. Mitigating Risk

With fractional support services, you can test and expand your law firm’s capabilities risk-free. You can strategically deploy support staff where and when they are most needed. This proactive approach helps prevent overstaffing or understaffing and ensures optimal resource utilization.

If a particular service or staff member does not meet expectations, adjustments can be made quickly without the complications of employment law issues or severance costs.

 

Fractional Staffing Is Here to Stay

Flexible staffing offers a strategic, flexible, and cost-effective solution to optimize your operations. By leveraging the specialized skills of fractional paralegals, virtual assistants, and administrative staff, you can better manage workload fluctuations, reduce overhead costs, and enhance overall productivity.

This approach not only leads to significant cost savings but also ensures that your firm can adapt quickly to changing market conditions and client demands, positioning you for sustained growth and success in today’s competitive legal landscape.

Click here to explore with a member of our team how Fractional Support Services can save you time and money!

4 Steps to Hiring Your First Virtual Assistant

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The decision to hire a virtual assistant can be transformative for lawyers seeking higher productivity and control over their schedules. But in the current economic climate, we understand if it also feels like a big financial commitment. That is why today’s article outlines four simple steps to successfully hire your first virtual assistant and ensure a seamless integration into your legal practice. Furthermore, we’ll explore how Amata’s legal virtual assistants can play a pivotal role in optimizing your workflow.

 

1 – Define Your Needs and Tasks

 

The first step in hiring a virtual assistant is to put on paper what you do on a daily basis. Identify areas where you spend a significant amount of time outside of billable hours. Some examples include managing emails, scheduling appointments, or handling routine administrative duties.

By defining your needs first, you can clearly communicate to potential hires what you need and ensure that your virtual assistant possesses the skills and expertise required to effectively alleviate your workload.

 

 

2 – Choose the Right Virtual Assistant Service Provider


You can either hire a full-time person through the traditional means (job hunting sites, asking for referrals, etc), or go to a place that has aggregated hundreds of virtual assistants for you.

In both cases, selecting the right virtual assistant service provider is crucial for a successful partnership. And it is important to realize that not all virtual assistant services are tailored to the unique demands of the legal profession.

 

What makes Amata’s virtual assistant services unique is that:

  1. Our virtual assistants are fully trained to serve the legal industry specifically
  2. You can hire them on an hourly basis to avoid overpaying and the financial risks of a full-time hire
  3. We have a wide pool of professional virtual assistants to serve your exact needs

 

These three factors give you flexibility in terms of hours, scalability to accommodate your growing practice, and a thorough vetting process to ensure skilled and reliable support.

 

3- Establish Clear Communication Channels


Effective communication is key to a smooth relationship with your virtual assistant. Clearly articulate your expectations, preferred communication channels, and the workflow for task assignments.

Since Amata’s virtual assistant functions as an extension of your team, establishing a seamless communication process ensures tasks are executed precisely, aligning with your legal practice’s standards.

 

4 – Start with a Trial Period

 

Before committing to a long-term arrangement, you can test the waters with a trial period. This allows both parties to assess compatibility, communication dynamics, and the assistant’s ability to meet your specific needs.

Use this period to provide constructive feedback, make any necessary adjustments, and ensure that the virtual assistant seamlessly integrates into the rhythm of your practice.

With Amata’s support services, you do not need to worry about a trial period at all. You always have the same point of contact, someone you are comfortable working with. When that person is on vacation you have someone else available to assist that is familiar with you and your firm. If at any time you need help to manage your virtual assistant or require a different one, we will assist you through this process.

 

 

Amata’s virtual assistants are trained specifically for the legal industry. They assist solo law firms and small-sized firms with tasks such as legal correspondence, document management, appointment scheduling, and new client intake. Their familiarity with legal procedures ensures professionalism and smooth operations, freeing up your time towards high-value, billable tasks.

Our virtual assistant service can help you take care of several tasks, including:

 

  • Email Management
  • Payroll, Billing, and Accounting
  • Database Management
  • Document Conversion and Management
  • Appointment Reminders and Scheduling
  • Legal Correspondence and Transcription
  • Legal Research
  • Live Virtual Receptionist

 

Moreover, our flexible plans allow you to pay for just the hours that you need. This can remove the budget constraints most solo practitioners and small law firms experience, so that you can grow your firm and gain more control over your hours without the burden of unnecessary overhead costs.

Hiring your first virtual assistant is not a “nice to have”; it’s a pivotal step toward growing your legal practice. By defining your needs, choosing the right service provider, establishing clear communication channels, and starting with a trial period, you pave the way for a more profitable business where you can do what truly energizes you.

 

So if you want a professional virtual assistant to enter billing, update social media posts, and return client calls for you, we can help. Contact us today to explore how Amata’s virtual assistants trained in the legal industry can save you time and focus.

Fractional Legal Staff: A Real-World Checklist of Things They Can Do For You

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Running a small law firm is demanding. You wear many hats, juggling cases, managing clients, and overseeing every detail. Hiring additional staff can be tempting, but the prospect of onboarding a full-time employee—the cost, the commitment—can be daunting.

At Amata, we understand your hesitation. That’s why our fractional staffing solutions are designed specifically for small firms like yours, offering the benefits of dedicated support without the burden of full-time overhead.

 

Are You Worried About Your Fractional Staff’s Onboarding?

Perhaps you’re worried about:

  • Integration and Training

    Will a fractional paralegal or admin seamlessly integrate into your existing workflow? Yes. At Amata, we take the time to understand your firm’s unique needs and ensure your fractional staff is fully trained on your preferred tools and procedures. Think of it as a seamless extension of your team, not a disruptive addition. 
  • Accountability and Quality

    Can you trust someone working part-time to deliver high-quality work and meet deadlines? Absolutely. Our staff is comprised of pre-vetted, experienced legal professionals. We prioritize clear communication through daily logs and regular reviews, keeping you informed and ensuring your standards are met. 
  • Cost-Effectiveness

    Will fractional staffing actually save you money? Most definitely! You only pay for the support you need, eliminating the expense of salaries, benefits, and office space for a full-time employee. This allows you to scale your team up or down as your caseload dictates, maximizing your return on investment.

From the moment you engage Amata, our team prioritizes a smooth transition. Our proven onboarding process ensures your fractional staff is quickly brought up to speed on your firm’s processes.

 

Here’s an example of a real-world onboarding schedule we use when working with clients:

 

  • Day 1: Initial Meeting and Setup: We schedule the initial meeting to understand your specific needs and establish clear communication channels. We outline daily and weekly tasks and request access to necessary tools and platforms.

    This initial day is dedicated to getting you familiarized with your fractional team, and understanding your preferred software and procedures. 
  • Day 2: Detailed Instructions and Supervised Execution: We schedule a follow-up meeting to ensure a clear understanding of expectations. This session is recorded for future reference, allowing your fractional staff to revisit the information as needed. Under your supervision, they begin executing the assigned tasks. 
  • Day 3: Independent Task Execution: Gradually your fractional staff starts tackling tasks independently. They can refer back to the recorded instructions for any clarification, freeing you from constant supervision while maintaining accuracy. 
  • Day 4: Tasks Repetition and Output Delivery: The team repeats the tasks to ensure proficiency and consistent quality output. Completed tasks are delivered to you for review, keeping you in complete control of the process.

 

Ongoing Daily and Weekly Review

Amata fosters a culture of transparency and accountability. This commitment is reflected in our ongoing communication practices:

 

  • Daily Logs: Your fractional staff meticulously maintains a daily log detailing completed tasks and progress made. This log provides you with real-time insight into their work and allows for immediate course correction if needed. 
  • Weekly Reviews: Collaboration is key. We schedule regular weekly reviews where you and your fractional staff can discuss all tasks, ensure alignment with your goals, and address any concerns promptly. 
  • Proactive Adaptation: The legal landscape is dynamic, and your needs may evolve. Amata recognizes this. We hold regular meetings to discuss new tasks or changing requirements, ensuring your fractional staff is equipped to handle them efficiently.

Amata: Your Partner in Success

Amata’s fractional staffing solutions are designed to empower small law firms like yours. We offer:

 

  • Flexibility: Tailor your support to your specific needs. Need help with legal research for a few hours a week? Done. Want a paralegal to assist with all pre-trial tasks for a specific case? We’ve got you covered.
  • Focus on Your Core Business: Free yourself from administrative burdens and focus on what you do best – practicing great law.
  • Peace of Mind: Know that your critical tasks are being handled by qualified professionals, allowing you to serve your clients with confidence.

Don’t let concerns about traditional staffing hold you back. Contact Amata today and discover how our fractional legal staffing solutions can streamline your workflow and save you time while providing an accountable team all along the way.

Building A Lean, High-Quality Legal Team

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In 2023 Aaron Hall did a study of some of the highest hourly rates in the legal world:

  • $2,465 per hour was charged by Neal Katyal of Hogan Lovells according to Reuters.
  • $1,965 per hour per hour was charged by attorney Bryce Friedman of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett according to Bloomberg.
  • $1,950 per hour was charged by David Boies of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP according to Reuters.
  • $1,230 per hour per hour was charged by attorney Dirk Vandermeersch of Cleary Gottlieb in Brussels according to Lawyers Mutual.
  • $1,220 per hour was charged by tax attorney Ian Taplin of Kirkland & Ellis according to Lawyers Mutual.

And while some of these rates might seem outrageous (or aspirational, depending on how you look at them), the reality is that running a law firm has become more expensive. From office costs to social benefits and costly talent, it has become more difficult to run a highly profitable law firm without increasing rates for the end user.

 

However, there’s a limit to raising prices. Most law firms need to approach this problem in three ways:

a) Attracting well-capitalized clients who can afford higher rates

b) Focusing on solving bigger, more expensive problems

c) Lowering their expenses without compromising quality

 

That is why today’s article talks about the true cost of in-house support and how Amata’s on-demand services save lawyers money.

 

The True Cost of In-House Support

Office and team are the two biggest expenses law firms incur (besides taxes, of course). Previous articles covered how our flexible office plans save law firms money on office space, providing them wiggle room to scale. Now we have a new service that can save you money on your team-building efforts: Our new Fractional Services Packages.

Because let’s be real: Hiring people today is expenses. How expensive? Here’s a breakdown of 2024 rates in an established market like Chicago:

Associate Attorneys

The National Association for Law Placement (NALP) found that the overall median first-year associate base salary as of January 1, 2023, was $200,000, up to $35,000 from 2021, when the survey was last administered. This means a 21.2% increase in salaries in just two years, raising the bar for solo attorneys and small firms to be able to afford hiring.

Law Clerk’s blog also found that, in general, freelance lawyers are paid about 30-40% of the market hourly rate. This means that if the median salary for lawyers is $135,740 (According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics), the average hourly rate is $65,26 per hour and for contract lawyers it would be $85-$120+ per hour.

 

 

Paralegals

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2022 median pay for paralegals and legal assistants was $59,200 per year and $28.46 per hour. A closer look shows that in states like Illinois, an experienced paralegal can charge an average of $96,030 per year.

 

Executive Assistants

According to Indeed, the average salary for an executive assistant in the US can range from $64,986 on average to $103,983 on the high end.

 

 

Besides the high rates, there is an unspoken cost of building a team yourself: Time.

Posting on job sites, vetting applicants, interviewing them, training, onboarding, and then managing talent takes a lot of time. That is another benefit of our “curated-for-you” Fractional Support Services.

If you would like to build a lean, high-quality legal team, contact us to see how we can supply talent at rates you can afford, at just the hours that you need.

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!

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.