In addition, I found myself spending alot of time on marketing and trying to figure out how to break the ice with attorneys to send me work. As a result, I started to hunt for a website that catered to the special needs of freelance paralegals and attorneys for them to work together.  

 

I never found such a site, so I decided to create one.

 

I then began to realize that if I needed this service, other freelance paralegals and attorneys needed this service also.  It then became obvious to me that I could do a greater good by providing the perfect portal for freelance paralegals and attorneys to work with each other online seamlessly, without any of the current existing barriers that bar highly qualified paralegals from working with the attorneys that badly need them.

 

This was the catalyst that led to the opening of Paralegal Support Services as a resource for bringing freelance paralegals together with attorneys to work with each other seamlessly one-on-one, or in teams for large projects.

 

I then set out to address all of the issues that are unique to the attorney/virtual paralegal work relationship. The key issues I address with Paralegal Support Services are (1) insulating the attorney from liability for misclassifying a worker as an independent contractor instead of a W2 employee; (2) protecting attorney-client privilege and confidentiality for all of the attorney's file documents; (3) freeing up the paralegals to do what they do best (legal work) and not getting bogged down in dealing with marketing, website building, administration, and all the other self-employment issues that come up when a paralegal is not working in a firm directly; (4) freeing up the attorney to work seamlessly with a freelance paralegal without having to deal with figuring out how to transmit information, communicate, and deal with payroll and accounting matters that are outside of the business model for traditional law firms; (5) enabling attorneys to benefit from the cost savings of using a freelance paralegal while gaining the benefit of greater legal support expertise; and (6) putting more money in the paralegal's pocket by working more efficiently and effectively for their attorneys and themselves.

 

One of the unconventional steps I have in the Paralegal Support Services hiring process is the use of a preferences and personality questionnaire. I have learned over the years that attorneys, and even paralegals, are most happy when they can work with like-minded people who have similar personalities. I have also learned that different attorneys have different personal styles for working. Some want face-to-face interaction, while others prefer voice mail, and still others prefer to just communicate by e-mail.  Some want to know everything every step of the way, while others just want the final product on their desk and have no interest in knowing every detail.  Some want a paralegal to use alot of independent judgment and thinking, while others want work done a certain way in their own style only. Most of the frustrating breakdowns between attorneys and paralegals have resulted from clashing personalities and styles.  The preferences and personality questionnaire is designed to cut the learning curve on the attorney's preferences for the paralegal and help to ensure that both the attorney and the paralegal have a rewarding work experience.

 

I appreciate your interest.  I look forward to hearing from you.  If you have any questions, concerns, or comments on what we can do to provide a great virtual working environment for attorneys and freelance paralegals, please click here to contact me. 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 Sunita Advaney

 

Sunita Advaney, ABA-Certificated Paralegal

Chief Executive Officer

Paralegal Support Services, Inc.