The legal world is still deeply steeped in tradition, but sometimes defying the norm can have enormous benefits for your law firm. One way to bend the rules is to think creatively when hiring your team. Often, that means thinking remotely.

The amount of people working remotely at least part time has jumped from 15% to 20% in the last 4 years, according to Thrive Global. This rising rate shows no signs of stopping, because the benefits are undeniable.

A study by TINYpulse concluded that remote workers are happier, more productive, and feel more valued than their in office counter parts. They value flexibility and freedom and more detailed contact with their managers, and can do amazing things for your law firm.

Here are 3 roles you should definitely consider outsourcing for your legal team.

Marketing

Marketing might not be a huge priority for your firm, especially if you work with a small team. However, you absolutely need to be thinking about the way your law firm represents itself. Webris reports that “96% of people seeking legal advice use a search engine”. If you don’t have a solid website ready with FAQs, rates and services, and information about your firm, you are missing a huge demographic of potential customers.

“Your firm needs a high-quality website with valuable content and effective search engine optimization (SEO),” reports Answer 1. “The right website is instrumental in bringing in new clients. Local SEO is especially important so that you get visitors who are looking for lawyers in your area.”

Reception

As a lawyer, you absolutely need a receptionist to help you manage scheduling and paperwork. “There is a tremendous amount of administrative work that is associated with running a law firm,” says Parker Davis on a recent episode of the Lawyerist podcast. A receptionist can help you keep your business in order, as well as maintain the crucial line of contact for potential clients.

But having a full time, in house receptionist can be expensive and ineffective for law firms, especially smaller firms.

This is where outsourcing comes in. Hiring a virtual receptionist for your law firm makes sense; VR services are 1/10th the cost of an in-house option. Not only will they save you time, a comprehensive virtual reception service will help you qualify leads, schedule appointments, and make sure every potential client is taken care of.

Answer 1 offers call answering 24/7/365, which is crucial for lawyers. Your future clients will be in tense legal situations and need answers at all times, which is why services like Answer 1 make sense for legal professionals. The 2017 Clio Legal Trend Report discovered that 2 out of 3 potential clients will choose a firm that promptly answer their first call. You need a live voice, virtual receptionist to assure clients that you are their best legal option.

Make sure to look for a virtual receptionist service that covers after hours.

Paralegals

Another area that attorneys should consider outsourcing is their paralegals. This might prove trickier because of privacy concerns with sensitive legal material. However, that shouldn’t hold attorneys back from exploring this option;

The American Bar reports that “Virtual paralegals offer attorneys a seamless, remote staffing alternative while maximizing the value of each billable hour…not only are attorneys who outsource more productive, but they also realize higher revenues because they pay only for the work being done.”

Hiring on a virtual paralegal will increase your billable hours and allow you to get back to the real work of practicing law.

Moving Forward with Legal Outsourcing

Outsourcing as a lawyer can feel nontraditional, but makes a lot of sense for the average, busy legal professional. Research your options, and consider hiring freelance marketers, virtual receptionist services, and remote paralegals to elevate your law practice.