Do you need more time or support, but aren’t sure how to get it or what you could delegate? Don’t worry; you’re not alone. In fact, from talking with attorneys, I’d say you’re in the majority. The good news is, it is possible to be in the minority.
To get you moving in that direction, here are 5 quick tips for increasing your support and freeing up your time:
- Think about the work you least like to do. What tasks do you dread? Are they tasks your paralegal or legal assistant can perform for you? Most likely. Make these the first tasks you delegate.
- What about the tasks that take you away from what you really need to do? Do you find you’re regularly doing one thing when you need to be doing something else? Those types of tasks should be at the top of your delegate list, too.
- Think about all the tasks you perform every day. Or, review your time sheets from the last month or two (or give them to your paralegal to review) and identify tasks that can be easily delegated. You can also do this to identify the types of tasks listed in #2.
- Find out what type of work your paralegal is interested or excels in. Then delegate those types of tasks. Good paralegals can take on new responsibility with very little effort.
- And last, but most certainly not least: Ask. Your paralegal or legal assistant probably has quite a few ideas about what can be delegated. In fact, you may want to start there. Even if your paralegal doesn’t have any immediate suggestions, two brains is always better than one and it probably won’t be long before s/he has a few ideas for you.
Remember, paralegals are trained to perform the exact same tasks you are, so just about everything you do each day can be delegated (save for those tasks that constitute UPL in your jurisdiction (e.g., giving legal advice, representing a client in court, setting legal fees)), so don’t be afraid to delegate.
Do you have other ideas for quickly identifying delegable tasks? Share them below!