Canadian Bar Association Article on Virtual Legal Assistance
I was interviewed some time back for an article in the Canadian Bar Association Practice Link and today I’ve seen it for the first time, thanks to a tweet from Kate Kerans, another Alberta-based virtual legal assistant. The article title is Invisible Assistants and while I’m not sure I like that (somehow it seems a little cold) it is a nice informative article about virtual legal assistants and the value they can provide to a solo lawyer or a lawfirm. For example, a quote from the article:
A VLA’s tasks could include preparing a rough draft of affidavits or agreements, proofreading and formatting documents, conducting and summarizing legal research, liaising with clients, and transcribing audio and digital files. And the advantages of lawyers hiring VLAs are proving tangible.
For one thing, there are none of the overhead costs associated with having a staff person on hand. Kerans’ hourly rate may be higher than a regular legal assistant’s, but it doesn’t include paying for office equipment, benefits, sick days, vacation days, bonuses, and so on. Plus, she bills for only the time she works. “I find my clients are usually quite surprised by how much I do in an hour,” she says.
The writer of the article, Alison Arnot, definitely seems to have “gotten” what a virtual legal assistant can provide in the way of value. So nice to see!
Only one little comment about what she took from interviewing me:
Mapp’s clients, however, are not in Edmonton, where she lives, or even in Alberta, but in the United States.
Most of my current clients are in the United States, but I am of course totally open to working with Albertan or Canadian lawyers! In fact I would love local clients (have had a couple for general admin, but not legal yet!) it’s just an opportunity that hasn’t come up quite yet. Maybe soon?!
Laurie Mapp, Owner Halo Secretarial Services Contact us for more information on virtual legal assistance!

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