Lawyers are losing valuable time on work that doesn’t require a law degree. A report by the Thomson Reuters Institute shows that attorneys spend nearly 40% of their time on non-billable tasks. That’s about 20 to 25 hours a week doing things like email, scheduling, and document formatting instead of serving clients or preparing cases. This overload can lead to burnout, poor focus, and lower productivity. Time is your most valuable resource. You didn’t go to law school to manage calendars or chase invoices. Yet, many legal professionals are buried in tasks that don’t move the needle. Using a legal virtual assistant (VA), you can delegate these duties to a trained expert while focusing on high-value legal work. Think of it as buying back your time.
Reduce Costs Without Cutting Corners
Hiring a full-time legal assistant involves many hidden costs, such as salaries, benefits, taxes, office space, and equipment. In contrast, a virtual legal assistant works remotely and is paid only for the hours or tasks completed. According to FlexJobs, law firms can save an average of $22,000 annually by hiring a remote worker. For solo attorneys or small firms, these savings can be a game-changer.
You don’t need to sacrifice quality to stay within budget. Legal VAs are trained professionals who understand the legal field. They offer a flexible, affordable alternative to hiring in-house staff. Whether handling discovery documents or setting up client meetings, they can take work off your plate without draining your firm’s finances.
Beat Burnout and Stay Focused
Stress is a significant issue in the legal profession. A study from the American Bar Association found that 28% of lawyers struggle with depression, and 19% deal with severe anxiety. Much of this stress comes from handling tasks outside their core expertise. Your focus and energy suffer when you constantly switch between legal work and admin duties.
Multitasking might seem like a solution, but it’s not. Research from the University of California, Irvine, found that refocus takes an average of 23 minutes after a single interruption. Every hour spent on email, billing, or filing is lost to meaningful legal work. A legal VA can manage those tasks so you stay sharp, productive, and present.
What Can a Legal Virtual Assistant Do?
Legal VAs do much more than answer emails. They can support your firm in various ways depending on your needs. For example, Adobe’s survey revealed that the average worker spends 4.1 hours daily on emails, over 1,000 hours annually. Your VA can easily take over inbox management, saving you time and stress. Here’s a look at the types of tasks they can handle:
- Administrative Work: Manage email, schedule appointments, handle travel bookings, set reminders, and organize digital files.
- Client Communication: Respond to inquiries, follow up on leads, and manage intake forms.
- Legal Support: Draft basic documents, format legal briefs, gather affidavits, and prepare case summaries.
- Digital Marketing: Manage social media, send newsletters, track analytics, and improve online visibility.
- Bookkeeping and Billing: Track hours, prepare invoices, and follow up on payments.
This level of support frees up your time for client meetings, court prep, and strategic growth.
Specialized Support Beyond Admin
Some legal virtual assistants come with paralegal-level training. They can help draft contracts, prepare pre-trial documentation, or even assist in legal research or preparing real estate documents. Many have backgrounds in law, which allows them to take on more technical or sensitive tasks with accuracy and confidentiality. For example, a legal VA could help gather discovery materials for a litigation case or organize contracts for a real estate deal. You’ll still supervise and approve the work, but you won’t have to do it all yourself. This division of labor means more hours billed, less time wasted, and fewer late nights.
Who Hires Legal Virtual Assistants?
Legal VAs aren’t just for big firms. Solo attorneys, boutique law offices, and mid-size firms use them. The common thread is the desire to increase efficiency without overextending the budget. These remote professionals work from their own home offices or coworking spaces. You don’t need to provide them with a computer, a desk, or office supplies. You also don’t pay for lunch breaks, insurance, retirement contributions, or sick days. This model works exceptionally well for firms in growth mode or those managing unpredictable workloads.
Ready to Hire? Here’s What to Expect
Legal virtual assistants come in different forms. Some specialize in executive tasks, while others handle legal drafting, project management, or marketing. Most work on a contract or hourly basis, so that you can scale their hours up or down based on your needs. It’s a good idea to start by listing tasks you want to offload. For instance, do you need someone to take over your email inbox, manage your calendar, or format contracts? You can find a VA with the right skills to match from there. The best part is that your VA doesn’t need to be in your city or state. With secure cloud systems and legal-grade confidentiality protocols, they can work efficiently from anywhere.
The Bottom Line: Use a Legal Virtual Assistant
If you’re still doing your admin work, you’re limiting your firm’s growth. A virtual assistant costs less than hiring in-house staff and delivers powerful results. You can free up dozens of hours a month and direct that time toward client service, marketing, or growing your firm. As business coach Michael Hyatt says, “What gets scheduled gets done. What gets delegated gets multiplied.” This year, delegating your non-core work to a VA could be your smartest investment.