By Carlyse Evans and Danny Rhinehart, Unbiased Consulting
In the fast-paced legal industry, we’re witnessing a crucial shift in how legal assistant support is structured within law firms. The traditional method of individual legal assistants managing specific tasks for assigned attorneys is being replaced by a collaborative, team-based approach. This change aims to address current industry staffing challenges and the change in how legal assistants support the firm while maintaining high-quality services.
So, what exactly is “legal assistant teaming”? At its core, it’s a modern approach for structuring legal assistant support, akin to the proven team-based approach adopted in areas such as office services, information technology, mailroom operations, and records departments. Law firms over the years recognized the value in combining the talents of individuals into cohesive teams for enhanced efficiency and economies of scale – a successful strategy now being applied to the legal assistant support model.
Although many law firms have experimented with team-based legal assistant support, they often face obstacles such as low attorney buy-in, lack of engagement from legal assistants, and disappointing results that undermine their initiatives. However, Unbiased Consulting has developed a unique approach to this problem that has helped many firms overcome these hurdles. By focusing on minimal disruption for attorneys, ensuring high staff satisfaction, and aligning teams with the firm’s objectives, we create an environment conducive to successful teaming. Our commitment to workflow technology facilitates efficient task management, enhances work visibility, and fosters a collaborative culture of knowledge sharing. This holistic approach positions a firm to provide optimal support, driving it toward a more productive and sustainable future.
Let’s explore why this shift is a game-changer for law firms:
- Tackling Staffing Shortages: The legal industry faces a significant challenge with retiring legal assistants, a lack of experienced replacements, and a lack of interest in becoming legal assistants. Legal assistant teaming helps address this issue by distributing tasks across a team rather than relying on one person, providing more career options for legal assistants.
- Future-Proofing Your Firm: A team-based support structure enables firms to adapt more quickly to evolving business environments. It allows for flexible work distribution, adaptable team composition, and effective scalability.
- Boosting Efficiency and Quality of Service: By assigning tasks to the most suitable team members, assistant teaming improves the speed and quality of work. It harnesses a broader range of skills and experiences, enhancing the firm’s support services.
- Enhancing Work/Life Balance: A team-based approach reduces individual employee pressure, promoting a healthier work/life balance. Shared responsibilities reduce burnout and increase job satisfaction.
- Providing Seamless Coverage: With a team managing administrative tasks, the absence of one person does not disrupt the firm’s workflow. Cross-training staff enables better adaptation to unexpected situations.
Transitioning to legal assistant teaming requires careful planning and strategic implementation, and Unbiased Consulting, with its proven track record and expertise, can facilitate a smooth shift to this new model.
In the face of ongoing staffing challenges, administrative teaming is the way forward. It addresses current obstacles and prepares law firms for a more efficient and resilient future. Now is the time to embrace this strategy.
Contact us today to embark on your journey towards future-proofing your support models.