Volume XIV, Issue VI
November/December 2000

Freelance/Contract Paralegals: How can they help?

By: Katrina L. Bakke

As the legal profession evolves over time, there seems to be less and less time to do more and more work. There are many products and services available to help, some of which attorneys know well, others which might not be so well recognized. One that may be less recognized at this point in time is the availability of paralegal services on a freelance or contract basis.

What exactly is a "freelance" or "contract" paralegal? A freelance paralegal is one that is essentially self-employed. They are available to take on short-term or long-term projects ranging from assisting with litigation preparation to covering employee absences to coming into an attorney’s office on a daily basis to pick up overflow work that one may need assistance with.

How can such paralegals help you? There are different kinds of contract or freelance paralegals. There are those who like to work at home. Often they will prefer to arrange to visit the offices of those for whom they are working, either as needed or on a regular basis, to pick up any overflow work. These services can be ideal for the young lawyer or solo practitioner who is just getting started. This can be especially true for the young lawyer who, for example, might have a legal secretary but cannot afford a full time paralegal, and could use the extra support. By contacting a freelance paralegal, it is possible to have someone arrive on scene to pick up the slack while additionally freeing up otherwise billable time.

Employee absences can often result in challenges. Another way contract or freelance paralegals can assist is by providing temporary coverage when a support staff person goes on vacation or maternity. The quality of temporary help coming out of agencies can be disappointing to attorneys. They can be expensive, and more often than not the attorney just gets a "legal secretary" (if they are lucky) when what they really need is a "paralegal". By contacting a contract or freelance paralegal, one can be more in control of getting someone who has experience, someone who knows how to get the job done, and someone who most likely has the skills that an attorney (who is otherwise short-handed) needs. There is an opportunity to develop a relationship with a professional whose skill level is familiar and who can cover whenever the need arises.

The words of one freelance paralegal describes the profession perfectly. "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 transcription and that paralegals are capable of much more than reviewing files and documents. We did not become freelancers on a wing and a prayer; we have to do what any service business must do -- present with credibility and experience. We also know the limits of our skills and what a job really entails."

There has been some effort to put together a reference list of freelance paralegals. At this point in time the list is somewhat limited. There are only 3 individuals in Pierce County and maybe a half dozen in the Seattle area that are available for referral. In the Seattle area the legal staffing agencies are available, but in Pierce County there are no staffing agencies that specialize in the legal field. With time, however, the list is sure to grow and a referral service will be developed in order to provide attorneys some options and some assurance that they will receive the quality support or temporary coverage they need.

Remember, freelance or contract paralegals can help you by offering flexibility and experience! Specifically, they are available to help with preparation of pleadings and correspondence, transcription, file organization, litigation preparation, legal research, and even provide coverage for that person who is on vacation or maternity leave.

Katrina Bakke is a freelance/contract paralegal in Pierce County. For more information regarding freelance/contract paralegals, call 253-537-2623.

Back to table of contents >>