Re: Independent Paralegal

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Hello Liz,
What are your rates if you don't mind my asking. I
currently work for a firm as a litigation paralegal, but am
exploring other possibilities so that I can have a more
flexible schedule.
Sincerely,
Tarissa Wilson

On 3/11/05, Liz Miller d/b/a Paralegal Professionals wrote:
> Hi - I am new to this chat board. I work as an independent
> paralegal and recently wrote this article for a magazine. I
> thought some people might find it helpful or interesting
and
> it tells you something about me, who i am and what i do.
>
> How Can Contract Services Benefit Your
> Practice?
____________________________________________________________
> A freelance or contract paralegal is one that is
> self-employed and available to take on short term, long
> term, per diem or per case projects with no committments
> beyond any commissioned assignment. These services can
> range from assisting with litigation preparation, covering
> employee absences, or coming to an attorneys’ office to
pick
> up files or overflow work and are generally much less
> expensive, and more reliable than other sources of
> temporary help.
> I read an article recently in which a freelance
paralegal
> was quoted describing the independent contract paralegal
> perfectly. She said, “those of us who freelance have
> usually had years of experience within the legal profession
> and understand there is far more to being a legal secretary
> than answering phones and that paralegals are much more
> capable (and much more valuable) than reviewing files and
> documents. We did not become freelancers on a wing and a
> prayer. We have to do what a service business does - we
> present ourselves with credibility and experience and all
we
> have to offer is our time and our knowledge. We also know
> the limits of our skills and we know what the job really
> entails.” (author unknown)
> I have been a paralegal for almost 26 years, and
have spent
> the better part of the last 16 years working as an
> independent paralegal trying to make attorneys understand
> how an independent contractor, be it a paralegal, legal
> secretary or some other support staff person, can benefit
> their practice. One day I had the opportunity to talk to a
> defense attorney who shared with me how he convinced his
> partners of the financial benefits of employing a contract
> paralegal. I realized from talking to him that most
> attorneys do not see the big picture. I’d like to share it
> with you.
> We all know that the joke about defense work is that
they
> get paid by the pound, but, of course, someone has to
> generate the work. So now you have a full-time salaried
> paralegal, and there is a lull in the work. Non- party
> subpoenas are out, discovery hasn’t come in, you cannot get
> anything scheduled and there is little to no work to bill.
> The paralegal is filing or doing clerical work because
there
> is nothing else to do at the moment. This is where the
> cost-effectiveness of an independent contractor paralegal
or
> any support staff member becomes invaluable. If you retain
> the services of a contract paralegal to work defense (or
> any) files, and that paralegal is only getting paid when
> billable work is generated, the firm is in a win/win
> situation. Let’s suppose the firm is billing their client
> $75 an hour for paralegal time, and paying the paralegal
> $25/hour. If the paralegal bills 40 hours a week, she
> earns $1,000 and the law firm earns $3000. Add into the
> equation the flexibility of not having to pay the contract
> paralegal unless she is billing time, no overhead, no
> health benefits, vacation time, sick time, or taxes to
pay -
> this turns into a profitable way for the law firm to
> outsource their work and increase the firm’s revenues
> without interrupting the continuity of the work or the
> paralegal’s familiarity with your files.
> The equation works a little differently in other
areas of
> law, but it can still be a financial benefit for the firm.
> If you establish an ongoing rapport with a contractor who
> knows and agrees up front that they will be employed only
> when there is work, and you do not have to provide a desk,
> computer, telephone or copier for her to work, you can
still
> have office continuity and not expend any revenues for time
> when no revenues are being generated for the firm by that
> paralegal’s work. In the case of the plaintiff’s practice,
> files that are sitting in a cabinet that need settlement
> demands or medical malpractice notices of intent or
> complaints prepared are not generating revenues for the
firm
> either. If the staff is too busy which can happen since
> plaintiff’s offices can be extremely busy due to extensive
> and sometimes daily client contact, contracting a paralegal
> to prepare these documents keeps the cases moving and
> enables you to generate fees through settlements.
> Contracting that work to a paralegal who can pick up a file
> and write a settlement demand for a nominal fee exclusive
of
> costs (copying charges), is both cost and time efficient
for
> the firm. Although in plaintiff’s cases the fees for a
> contract paralegal cannot be billed to the client as an
> expense, it is worth the investment of sometimes as little
> as $125 plus costs to get a case into demand and get it
> settled. Again, all you are paying for is work that is
> being done - with no added overhead expenses. Running a law
> firm is expensive with salaries, and the cost of benefits,
> overhead, etc. Utilizing contractors can help you to
> maximize your productivity and still keep your operating
> expenses under control.
>
> Liz Miller
> Independent Paralegal
> 813-340-9569
> lizmiller35@juno.com
> 26 years experience as a paralegal specializing in personal
> injury, med mal, nursing home, tort litigation, bankruptcy,
> family law, sinkhole and toxic tort litigation, trial work,
> legal research and brief writing