The other day, Alice, one of my coworkers, called asking about Legal Assistance and what role a legal process outsourcing company plays in hiring legal assistance. She claimed to have heard about it from some relative and wanted to know what it is all about and how it works.
Well, let’s dive into it.
Legal assistance is a service that you can use to gain insight into information concerning the law. People’s experiences vary based on the circumstances they find themselves in.
How Much Does A Lawyer Cost?
If you are thinking of hiring a lawyer, you need to understand that the cost of legal assistance varies according to the type of legal issue, the lawyer’s experience and location.
Another factor that influences the cost is your budget. For instance, using free case management software or seeking free to low-cost legal aid.
There are various options available for those who can’t afford legal representation:
- Legal Services Corporation (LSC): one of the largest funders of civil legal aid for low-income Americans. They provide grants to organizations offering legal assistance.
- LawHelp.org: On this website you will find information on free and low-cost help which include legal aid offices and self-help centers.
- Pro Bono Services: If you look enough, you will see that there are many lawyers that offer their legal expertise for free or at a reduced cost to those who qualify.
For those that have the financial capability to hire legal services, the cost will depend on several factor:
- Hourly Rates
Hourly rates depend on the state, but on average, the basic hourly rate for legal assistance in most locations in the U.S. falls anywhere between $162 and $392.
Keep in mind that hourly rates are higher in urban areas and respectively lower in rural areas.
- Retainer Fees
Retainers are collected upfront, and the average usually depends upon the case. In typical matters where the complexity is higher, up to $5,000 may be collected.
In some situations, the retainer can go further.
- Legal Plans
MetLife’s Legal Plans, their services and policies stand out.
Depending on the plan, the company charges any flat annual fee that allows the client access to any one service or any number of services, depending on the annual membership fee.
- Specific Legal Services
For instance, in Immigration cases, asylum applications vary in price from $1,000 to $7,000 and $4,000 to $12,000 for deportation defense.
The Process of Hiring Legal Assistance
- Skills Assessment
When looking for virtual legal assistant services, it’s best to perform a quick assessment to verify that the candidate is well-informed regarding litigation.
In further assessments, you can test the candidates knowledge on local rules and regulations, and if they have experience in similar cases to yours.
There exists 5 types of skills test:
- Legal Assistant (US) test: Tests if the test takers have the core skills required for them to support attorneys in a legal setting.
- Culture Add Test: To test if the candidate shares your organizational values
- Reading Comprehension Test: This one checks the ability of a legal assistant to break apart legal text or client correspondence and make inferences from it.
- Problem Solving Test: This evaluates the applicant’s ability to manage completing schedules and priorities. It also asks questions regarding how to manage different employees’ schedules.
- Structured Interview Process
The two-step verification process ensures that only the best candidates are selected.
First, the Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) company you have hired will interview the candidate on your behalf. The applicants are assessed using predetermined criteria to ensure they fit all the necessary specifications for the company. Qualified applicants will then be referred to your firm for further evaluation.
In the second step, the Main Firm, after reviewing the LPO company’s notes regarding each candidate, conducts another specialized interview tailored to meet your firm’s needs. It is at this point that the candidates will face questions that will gauge their suitability to your organization’s particular needs.
The Questions You Could Ask:
- Have you handled cases like mine before?
- Give an example and ask how long will it take to resolve this case?
- Share your experience working with legal documents. (This assesses core skills and familiarity with legal procedures.)
- How well-informed are you about legal case management? Which legal case management softwares have you worked with?
Client Relationship Management | Legal Assistance
Client relationship management (CRM) is crucial in the legal industry in order to satisfy clients and generate leads.
For Legal assistance to maintain client relationships, they require implementing strategies and the utilization of tools in order to maintain lasting relationships with clients.
The proper use of CRM enhances client communication, increases referrals, resulting in a successful law practice.
Key Features of A Good CRM
Prioritizing Client’s Needs
In a legal setting, it is vital to understand your client’s needs, goals, and expectations in order to come up with effective and tailored services.
Transparency and Communication
Between client and legal assistance, it is important that a manner of transparency is kept.
Open and transparent communication builds trust and it also ensures that clients are well-informed about any updates in their case.
Tailored Services
To enhance the overall customer experience, it is best if a firm works on customizing their services based on a single client’s needs, preferences, and legal history.
Technology
Advancement in technology has changed the outlook on outsourcing. With Legal CRM softwares, one can automate tasks, track client interactions, and balance case files.
With these innovations streamlining workflow, firms have been able to provide satisfactory services.
Building Relationships
A strong attorney-client relationship encourages smoother collaboration, through proactive communication and tailored services. These factors improve client retention and loyalty.
Measuring Success
With the help of legal CRM softwares, you can track key performance indicators such as referral rates, and case outcomes. With this feedback, you can visualize the effectiveness of your CRM efforts.
Advantages of Implementing CRM in the Legal industry
Client Management
CRMs are known for their ability to centralize all client data. This capability enables easier tracking of cases, communication, and follow ups, resulting in better client service and satisfaction.
Collaboration
Business leaders implement CRM systems to streamline communication and collaboration among their legal team as this helps sharing client data and case details. CRM helps better coordinate and improve efficiency.
Productivity
With innovative technology taking over law firm back-office, this creates time for lawyers to focus on practicing law and boosting firm productivity.
Client Engagement
With CRM, you can customize the way you communicate and follow-up with your clients. This back and forth communication creates a stronger client relationship and potentially converting temporary leads to permanent clients.
Security
CRM softwares has inbuilt security systems that helps firms ensure that their data’s security and compliance will not be compromised.
Of course, making sure that legal regulations are followed. In the law related matters, it is crucial that client information is secured and confidentiality is maintained.
Data-driven Decision Making
The best and most attractive quality of CRMs is their ability to provide
Client Satisfaction
Various factors contribute to client satisfaction. Some of the factors are tailored services, efficient communication, and proactive support.
This creates a positive experience for clients as a result your clients will be happier and there will be an increase in referrals.
Marketing and Business Development
CRM systems help with marketing campaigns, nurture leads, and track how well the marketing efforts are working. This strategy’s sole purpose is to help businesses grow.
Compliance and Legal Regulations
CRMs help firms with maintaining compliance with data privacy and security regulations. This guarantees the protection of sensitive client information.
A Firm’s Ethical and Regulatory Obligations | Data Security and Safety
Based on the American Bar Association (ABA) Rule 1.6: Confidentiality of Information, lawyers are required to “make reasonable efforts to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, information relating to the representation of a client.”
In compliance with the obligations of the ABA, it is mandatory that a firm makes strong efforts to protect your firm’s data. This effort requires strategic planning such as implementing a cybersecurity plan, restricting access to cloud-based platforms, communication practices through email, etc.
Data Security Laws
| Data Security Acts | Their Role |
| HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) | The HIPAA has made it mandatory for healthcare providers and business associates (e.g. law firms) to safeguard Protected Health Information (PHI) from leaking. Thus, firms need to follow HIPAA when handling a client’s PHI. |
| GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) | The GDPR is a unified EU data protection law created in 2018. It focuses on the protection of enhanced personal data. It applies worldwide thus, many states |
| CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) | The CCPA made for Californians, similar to GDPR, required enhanced protection for personal data for California residents.
After new adjustments made in 2023, California consumers got additional privacy protections. |
| SHIELD Act (Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act) | The SHIELD Act focuses on businesses in New York. It requires companies to develop, implement, and maintain “reasonable safeguards to protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of private information”.
This Act works to boost New York’s existing data breach notification requirement. |
5 Best Practices For Protecting Data at A Law Firm
- Create and implement an easy-to-follow plan for data security policy
- Periodically train employees on mitigating data risks
- Restrict access to data by using cloud-based platforms
- Conduct regular security audits to pinpoint law firm cybersecurity and data risks
- Enhance mobile security by enabling encryption, set up two-factor authentication, and backup firm data to secure servers
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) At A Legal Setting
In Law, there are various ways of solving conflicts without going to court, that is also known as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
The four most common methods of resolving conflicts are:
- Mediation: In this case, a third party (also known as the mediator) gets involved in order to smoothen out the issue and negotiate both parties into a mutual agreement. Mediation includes voluntary participation and focuses on finding common ground.
- Arbitration: In this instance, an arbitrator (a third party) listens to both sides of the story, analyzes the evidence on both sides and renders a binding decision. This is a much more formal confrontation compared to mediation and is similar to a court proceeding. However, this is more private and confidential.
- Negotiation: This type of ADR is direct. Both parties partake in the discussion to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. It can be informal or a neutral third party can participate.
- Conciliation: A conciliation is an even more informal confrontation that focuses on creating a ground for communication and understanding. In this case, a neutral third person assists both parties to reach a suitable settlement.
Outsourcing Legal Assistance Trends
Technological Innovations and Their Outcomes
Technology keeps bombarding the world with new upgrades which provides legal businesses with more technology-driven solutions.
For instance, legal practitioners are adopting cloud-based data storage. These cloud-based tools give remote accessibility, automated features, and a user-friendly interface.
These technological changes ultimately have transformed legal process outsourcing for the better. It has introduced legal automation, which accredits processes with flexibility and scalability.
Nonetheless, technology has contributed much to legal workflow automation, streamlining various projects, reducing errors, and enhancing work efficiency in each department.
Globalization of Legal Outsourcing
Legal process outsourcing (LPO) is all about delivering legal services to customers globally. When the COVID pandemic took over the world, there was substantial growth in outsourcing demands for specialized services like legal research and back-office management.
With the growing LPO market, legal professionals from around the world have collaborated and are competing for outsourcing opportunities.
Besides, with technological advancements and LPO inclining, the demand for legal services in data privacy and cybersecurity will accelerate the growth in legal outsourcing.
Post-Pandemic Shift in Legal Work
Yes, COVID is way behind us but it’s for a fact that the damages are permanent.
However, the innovative strategies business leaders took on during the crisis have shown great potential. Thus, the entrepreneurs have come down off their round table and decided to properly implement those practices in the long-term.
Prediction for the Future of Legal Assistance
According to LPO Market Report Forecast Analysis, in 2025, the market size of LPO reached $22.14 billion. Moreover, the report assumes that it will reach $58.73 billion by year 2034 with a CAGR of 27.6% (2024-2033).
This analysis covers regions such as Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, and more with country-specific insights for the USA, UK, China, India, and others.
Certain trends need to be acknowledged for the future of Outsourcing; for instance, Sustainability. Companies reaching out to survive are seeking LPO partners who are one in one with their environmental, social, and governance goals.
