As I am studying to become a Certified Business Coach, I’ve had the luxury of building 2 successful businesses. When I began my role in the legal profession, I was surprised at how different it was from what I was taught in school. Yes sure the content was there, but experience is the best teacher. Here are a few things I’ve learned and how I train other paralegals.
-Always plan ahead for the case and attorney’s personal matters
Let’s say the attorney you work for has a habit of staying at the office until 9 pm to prepare for trial. You look at his calendar and notice that his wedding anniversary is on the weekend of the trial. Be proactive and let the attorney know two or three weeks ahead of time to spend 15 minutes planning for their anniversary. They will thank you.
-Be proactive and follow up with clients, opposing counsel, the court, and whoever else is involved in depositions, hearings, meetings, etc. three or four business days before the event takes place.
I can not tell you how many times this has saved my attorneys so much time. When the mail center started to delay the mail for months, courts would reschedule hearings, and we wouldn’t get the notice. Before my attorney began preparing for a hearing I would call the court to confirm the date, time, and location.
-Get up and stretch every hour
Let’s face it, working at your desk every day for eight-plus hours can wreak havoc on your body. Do that every day for 10 years and you are asking for back, hip, and neck problems. Take the time to invest in your health by giving your body a stretch break.
-Work on one case at a time
When you have a bunch of cases running simultaneously it is tempting to want to jump back and forth on the paperwork. Complete one item at a time. This will save you time and mistakes.
-Only present problems to the attorney after you have a solution
An attorney gives you something to file, and yet you’ve spoken with the court clerk and they want you to file a particular form first before filing what your attorney has given you. Go ahead and draft the form, present it to the attorney for review, and let them know that you plan to file both and in what order. Let them know what the court clerk said. Ask if they approve. What you just have done for the attorney is, you saved them from having to have a conversation with you about the form, the need to recall information, the urge to find the form in their files or download it from their computer.
-When starting on a case always call the client and introduce yourself and let them know your role and that you may reach out in the future to obtain information from them.
This initial phone call breaks the ice. The client most times will be delighted that the attorney thought enough of them to have you call and introduce yourself. Sometimes you will find the client will take more of a liking to the paralegal because you may spend more time with them on the phone than the attorney. This way, when you ask them to submit evidence, or call to confirm something, they are not suspicious. They know who you are.
-Be so organized if you were to get hit by a bus tomorrow another paralegal can pick up where you left off in each case.
This system took me months to develop but I did. I was managing over a hundred cases, yet on some Fridays when I would leave the office, I would think to myself, could each of my attorneys pick up where I left off if I were to get hit by a bus? Dramatic I know, but…you never know. And that is why I chose to be prepared.
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