The Carolina Hurricanes brought home the Stanley Cup because they excel at working together and being a team. Similarly, the attorney, paralegal, and other law office staff form a team that must work together effectively for the firm to reach its full potential.

Creating a strong attorney-paralegal relationship is a win for both. It results in the best possible client representation, reduced burnout and workload, and an overall better work environment.

Expectations Fuel Performance

Teams perform better when members understand their roles.

Don’t let a paralegal be an underutilized star player. Paralegals can perform legal work for an attorney as long as the attorney supervises the work product. Duties paralegals can perform include:

• Communicating with clients
• Conducting legal research
• Gathering and organizing evidence
• Drafting documents and pleadings
• Managing a trust account

Attorneys supervise paralegals to maintain professional and ethical standards. An experienced paralegal may have practice insights that help an attorney perform better.

If a paralegal is allowed to shine, everyone wins.

Communication is Key

While paralegals may be especially adept at anticipating what an attorney needs, they are not, in fact, mind readers.  Paralegals excel at knowing standard procedures and protocols. But they need to know the game plan for each case to provide all-star support.

Attorneys should provide clear instructions to reduce the risk of misinterpretation and errors. Paralegals should be comfortable asking any questions that arise.

It is also important to keep paralegals up to date on communication with clients, courts, and other attorneys. Paralegals often maintain this correspondence, and being fully in the loop on a case makes it easier to respond quickly.

Celebrate Your Wins

Attorneys who acknowledge when something goes right — a client gave positive feedback because a complicated matter was filed timely — is showing respect for the paralegal’s efforts and building rapport. It reminds the whole team that the work they’re doing matters.

Likewise, good coaching improves a team’s performance without breaking morale. If a mistake is made, correction should focus more on preventive measures than blame. Schedule meetings to review work, improve processes, and increase efficiency.

Also, paralegals with access to CLE and professional association resources grow their knowledge to the benefit of the law practice.

Conclusion

Paralegals are an invaluable part of a law firm’s legal team. Working together effectively creates a better experience for the client and fosters a healthier work environment for the firm.

The paralegal-attorney relationship is the cornerstone of a championship law practice. Build your team strong.