Oftentimes, I am asked the age old question, "What do you do?" To which I reply, "I am a virtual paralegal." When I answer this question, there are always more questions to follow.
"What does that mean?" "What does a virtual paralegal do?" "How does that work?"
This is always when I wish that I had written, perfected and memorized my elevator speech. So to help me start fleshing one out, I thought I would write this post, and tell you the advantages and disadvantages of being a virtual paralegal. But before I begin, my only disclaimer is that being a virtual paralegal isn't for everyone. (You have to be self-motivated, you have to have a desire to work alone for the most part, you have to have your own equipment and your own "IT department" should your equipment fail.)
Being a virtual paralegal has been the perfect job for me. I really don't think I could jump back in to the 8-5 grind of a traditional law firm again.
The advantages I have found so far for me:
Flexible Hours - this is the most important thing for me. I was a stay at home mom for 8 years, (I was at every class party, I was always room mom, I went on every field trip, etc.) When I started working, I found that it was almost impossible to be there for my kids when they needed me. I never went on field trips or class parties, in fact, it was always a hassle to take off to take my kids to the doctor when they were sick. This was very frustrating to me. So when I looked into becoming a virtual paralegal, this was my number one reason, flexibility.
No Micro-managers - the one thing an attorney who hires a virtual paralegal needs to understand is that you can't micro-manage your paralegal. You can't stand over his/her shoulder and edit something, or make sure something is being done right. You have to trust that the paralegal you hired can do the job. Of course the attorney always reviews the work before it goes out, but there is some faith in the paralegal to begin with.
Unlimited money making potential - unlike a traditional paralegal who reports for duty each day and gets a set salary or hourly wage, a virtual paralegal can set their own rates, can take on as many or as few clients as possible. This is definitely a benefit if you price your services competitively. But remember to always take into consideration that you will not have a vacation or sick days unless you pad that into your price. In addition, you will need to put aside money for taxes, insurance and future equipment upgrades.
Minimal interruptions - At a traditional office, I was interrupted many times throughout the day, not just by my attorney but also, by my co-workers, who just had to tell me the latest gossip or their weekend plans. And while I love to gossip and gab as much as the next person, I don't like losing my concentrations or my train of thought. If you are like that too, this is a good fit. You can keep your email closed and only check it on a certain schedule and you can make and return phone calls at certain times a day to keep your productivity level at the maximum.
A couple other added benefits I have found are that I get to see my husband more often than when I worked in the traditional setting. He works evenings and in the traditional firm setting, he would be asleep when I left for work, and I would be asleep when he got home from work. Now, we spend a lot more time together. I am able to work uninterrupted in the mornings and then when he wakes up we spend time together until he leaves for work in the afternoon. Then I get more work done in the afternoon. So it works great for us. Another benefit, is that my pets are here with me. They make great supervisors.
Some of the disadvantages I have found are:
You get paid when you work only - This is important, because in the traditional sense, you get breaks, sick days and vacation days. But unless you pad that into your pricing, when you are not working you are not making money.
Health Insurance - You have to provide your own. If you have a spouse that has it available from their job, that may be a good option.
Can be isolating - If you tend to need consistent social interaction, this may not be for you. I get plenty of interaction with my client-attorneys, their clients and other virtual paralegals/assistants who work with me.
Its all up to you - The work gets done by you alone, so if you don't do the work, if you aren't self-motivated, the work won't get done. Organization and having systems in place are also key to making this work for you.
Your Equipment - You furnish the equipment. If your computer crashes, you have to buy another or get that one fixed.
Office Space - You will need a good, quiet space to work. I really think you need an office, especially if you have other family members living with you. The benefit is that if you qualify, this is a tax deductible expense. Obviously you will want to consult a tax specialist or bookkeeper to determine your tax benefits.
If being a virtual paralegal is something you are interested in, I urge you to do your research first. There are a couple of really good resources that I have found to be helpful. The links to their websites are below.
http://paralegalmentor.com/ This is Vicki Voisin's website. She is a wonderful resource not just on virtual paralegals, but on paralegals individually. I would totally recommend subscribing to her ezine.
http://clericaladvantage.com/ Tina Marie Hilton has been doing this for a while and she is extremely knowledgeable in setting up a virtual business and what you need to consider.
Everything considered, this has been the best choice for me and my family. I hope you will find this information useful.
Heather
