Carolyn Elefant over at My Shingle suggests in a post today that lawyers who are being laid off due to economic downturns consider going solo. I completely agree and I also recommend that support staff in the same boat consider a virtual career. It’s a difficult time to go through, but it can also be a wonderful opportunity to re-invent your career and your life.

Have you always wanted to live near the beach? Or maybe you want to move to a small town in a different state? You can live anywhere and have a virtual career. Or you can live "nowhere" and travel while you work!! You can be a virtual lawyer, a virtual assistant, a virtual paralegal or you can go off on another career path altogether and maybe be a business consultant, a marketing strategist or a teacher. You can do many of things virtually, or at least somewhat virtually. You’ll save money on your commute too!

It can be really hard to see something so upsetting as a lay-off as a good thing. And I can’t pretend to have been in the shoes of a legal secretary or lawyer who has been laid-off. But I think we all have had wrenches thrown into the works of our career plans and I know that we can’t change what is, we can only choose to move forward and hopefully make things better. Good luck to you all!

I just read a blog post from Canadian Entrepreneur which reminded me that yesterday was Terry Fox’s birthday. I don’t know how familiar anyone is with Terry Fox (unless you are Canadian like me in which case I’m guessing you are more than familiar with the name!) I just have to share this motivational quote that was on Canadian Entrepreneur’s post:

“I’m not a dreamer, and I’m not saying this will initiate any kind of definitive answer or cure to cancer, but I believe in miracles. I have to.”

Terry Fox, 1958-1981
Canadian dreamer. Canadian hero.

We all need to believe in our dreams, and in miracles. Thanks for the inspiration Terry!

I just read this post over at 5 Minutes for Mom about why we should comment on each other’s blogs. I totally think commenting helps create a great sense of community and I personally love the interaction of commenting on other blogs.

So partly in the spirit of fun and partly to help attract a few readers, I’m offering a $20 Starbucks card to one lucky commenter on my blog this week! Rules are that you must either tell me what you like about my virtual legal assistance blog or make a suggestion to improve it and you must comment by midnight, mountain time (Alberta, Canada) on Sunday, August 3, 2008. Good luck!

I finished my diploma program in paralegal studies about 11 years ago (in Edmonton, Alberta). I remember when I was researching the paralegal career and wondering what it would *really* be like to work as a paralegal. I would’ve enjoyed this post at LawVibe.com about how paralegals are multi-taskers back then, it’s a pretty accurate job description!

Fortunately the research I did was pretty helpful and I felt like I knew what I was getting into and that I was making a good career choice for myself. It never ceases to surprise me how many new paralegal graduates are not prepared for the real work they will perform in a law firm though. Many expect to come out of school and do intensive research and work hand-in-hand with the lawyers. It’s a rude awakening then when they are expected to do clerical work and learn the ropes from the ground up. I think that mastering the basics is essential though. I believe I am much better at my job because I know how to do so many things – my first lawyer was a wonderful trainer, he gave me tasks that were progressively more difficult and eventually trusted me completely. But he knew from experience that people need to learn all facets of the job.

If you want to be a paralegal, remember that everything you do on the job is worthwhile and necessary, whether the work is clerical in nature or not. Everything I learned on the job certainly helped me – especially now that I operate my own virtual legal assistance business!

Not sure what a virtual legal assistant can do for your law practice? Wonder if you’ll really free some of your time up? Check out this list of things a virtual legal assistant can help you with!

1. Draft initial retainer letter to a new client
2. Proofread and format an agreement
3. Draft a motion and supporting affidavit
4. Research caselaw and provide summarizing memorandum
5. Scan client documents into database
6. Prepare exhibits and documents for trial presentation
7. Monitor deadlines and manage caseload
8. Update and manage your calendar
9. Arrange for an expert witness
10. Review transcripts and highlight critical text, summarize undertakings
11. Type handwritten notes from a meeting or seminar
12. Proofread and publish blog posts
13. Convert files into PDF format
14. Balance a monthly bank statement
15. Delete spam accumulated in your email account overnight
16. Sort/answer and/or redirect email messages
17. Transcribe voice messages
18. Make calls to confirm your appointments
19. Create a database
20. Build an email distribution list
21. Create a PowerPoint presentation
22. Setup the process for a monthly newsletter
23. Build a custom spreadsheet
24. Follow up research on a client, prospect, applicant, or competitor
25. Book hotel, rental car, and/or travel reservations

Your virtual legal assistant can do a lot more than this – but hopefully this list opens your mind to all the possibilities!!

This morning I read this article about Law 2.0 by Paul Lippe which was featured in the Jan/Feb 2008 edition of the Canadian Bar Association journal. It’s a wonderful read and I highly recommend it. Paul suggests that major shifts in the way law firms practice are closer than many would realize and I completely agree with him. Law firms may not always be the fastest to adapt to technology (only a few years ago I worked for a firm that still didn’t use email!) eventually they do catch on and then it seems to happen all at once.

Virtual legal assistance is one of the many wonderful tools at the disposal of lawyers who are ahead of the curve in the law 2.0 world. It allows lawyers to make great use of technology and to employ a cost-effective alternative to traditional in-house support staff. Contracting with a virtual legal assistant is a very time-effective solution. You can have your virtual legal assistant draft correspondence or court documents while you meet with a client or you could have herupdate your calendar and screen and sort through your email while you are in court.

In my opinion law 2.0 is going to make life easier for the average lawyer – and a lot more interesting and fun too!

Ok, it’s Monday morning and the summer feels like it is half over already. It’s time for my first goal-setting post so I can make sure I’m on track before fall catches me off guard!!

My goals for this week are simple and include some personal goals, as summer should definitely involve plenty of family and relaxing time (work-life balance!)

• Research printers for good office printer
• Decide about joining a Canadian virtual assistant association
• ask Brianna about wordpress upgrade
• comment on at least 5 different law blogs
• post 3 times on my blog
• start and devote 2 hours to the accounting course that I downloaded
• Take the boys to the lake, weather permitting (this is Canada after all!)

Despite a cranky, restless baby last night I’m feeling pretty cheerful this morning and I can’t wait to get started on my week!! It’s so nice to work for myself!

I was so excited to read this wonderful article from The Lawyers Weekly about how virtual assistance is catching on in Canada, and how it is expected that it will be a growing field!  I was also happy to notice a quote from Kate Kerans, who is a fellow Albertan VA whose name I recognize from the VANA forums.

Positive articles like this one can only help those of us who are working to make a name for ourselves in the Canadian virtual assistant industry.  And as someone who is specifically planning to work as a virtual legal assistant/virtual paralegal I was really pleased to see it in a legal publication – the more we get the word out the more likely we all are to benefit!

I love all the recent blog posts I’ve noticed about virtual law offices. Just this morning I found Erik Mazzone’s blog, Law Practice Matters, and his post Should You Have a Virtual Law Office? I found Erik’s post through Stephanie Kimbro’s blog (I mentioned her in this previous post).

I know that for me, working virtually is a wonderful way to simplify my life. I avoid commuting and the endless meetings that sometimes seem to accomplish so little. I simply get to work on my clients’ projects and really feel like things get accomplished every day. Well, except for the days that I keep free to spend with my kids – and really that is an even better accomplishment, that I can make the time in my schedule to truly enjoy my boys!

I also know that now that I see the beauty of virtual work, I often choose to hire people who work virtually. When I needed a blog designer, I found one who worked virtually (lots of choice of virtual workers fortunately in the web design arena!) My accountant also works from home and if I need a lawyer for my business I plan to try and find one who works virtually (although so far I haven’t come across many on the blogosphere who are from Alberta should I need a local lawyer).

I find that working virtually with people really allows me to manage my time better. I can email my web designer at 11 at night and know that she will get to it within a day or so. I can get work done for my clients at 6 in the morning or 6 at night and as long as I get it done by the deadline everything is great! In the 9-5 world, there always seemed to be times when productivity would be lower (especially in that hour after lunch!) but as long as you were physically present no one really seemed to care. I’d rather take that hour after lunch for a brisk wake-up walk, or a nap if I’m exhausted, then get back to working in an efficient manner.

I’m so excited – Brianna of Mad Hatter Design Company helped me get my virtual assistant site set up and my blog moved over to be part of it.  I love the new look and I’m ready to get back to posting!

What do you think of the new look?  Any suggestions?!