How to choose a remote legal staffing company: 12 questions to ask

Remote legal staffing companies look alike from the outside: a low starting rate, a promise of experienced staff, a guarantee. The differences show up in the answers to specific questions. These twelve separate a provider you can build on from one you’ll replace in six months.

Price and terms

1. What does one full-time person in my role cost per month, all-in?

Ask for a monthly number, not a “starting at” hourly rate. Then ask what is not included: setup or recruiting fees, bilingual premiums, overtime, equipment. Worry if the price changes between the website, the call and the contract.

2. Is there a minimum term, and how much notice do I give to end it?

Month-to-month with 30 days’ notice is common. Some providers require 90 days up front. Worry if the cancellation terms only appear in the contract.

3. What happens if the person doesn’t work out?

Ask how fast a replacement comes, whether it costs anything, and whether the guarantee lasts as long as you are a client. Worry if the answer is a promise of a specific number of days with no explanation of how they would meet it.

The person you get

4. Will they work only for my firm?

A dedicated staff member learns your cases, clients and systems. A shared assistant splits attention between firms and raises confidentiality and conflict questions.

5. Do I interview and choose, or do you assign someone?

You should interview every candidate and be able to say no.

6. How do you screen candidates?

Ask what they check: legal experience, language ability, writing, references, background. Ask to see a sample candidate profile. Worry if every candidate is described as having the same years of experience.

7. Where are staff located, and what hours do they work?

Full-time staff should work your business hours. Ask how time off and coverage are handled.

8. Who employs and pays them?

Ask whether staff are the provider’s employees or contractors, and what the provider is responsible for. Worry if the website promises benefits the provider can’t explain.

Supervision and confidentiality

9. Will they work inside my systems, with logins I control?

Your client files should stay in your case management system, email and phone system, with access you can switch off. Ask whether the provider runs monitoring software on staff computers and what it records.

10. Will they sign my firm’s confidentiality agreement, and how do you handle conflicts?

ABA Formal Opinion 08-451 expects firms that outsource to protect confidentiality and check for conflicts. A provider should make both easy.

11. Are any of your staff presented as lawyers?

Staff who aren’t admitted in your state can’t give legal advice to your clients, whatever their training abroad. Worry if a provider sells “remote attorneys” or “licensed” staff without explaining that they work as non-lawyers under your supervision. See confidentiality and ethics.

Proof

12. Can I see proof behind your claims?

Client counts, savings figures and testimonials should be backed by real clients who agreed to be named. Worry if testimonials have no names, results have no sources, or claims such as “HIPAA compliant” come with no explanation.

How we answer

Whichever provider you choose, get these answers in writing before anyone starts. If you’d like ours, book a call.