Virtual Assistant for
Law Firms

Updated: October 2026 · By the MyVirtualExpert team

A small law firm runs on two kinds of work: the legal work only a lawyer can do, and the administrative work that surrounds it. Returning calls, booking consultations, chasing documents, sending invoices and keeping files organized can take up a big part of a lawyer's or paralegal's week.

A virtual assistant (VA) can take much of that administrative load off your team. This guide covers what a VA can do for a small firm in the USA or Canada, what a VA should not do, how to handle confidentiality, and what it costs.

1. New client intake

• Replying quickly to web-form and email inquiries with approved responses
• Collecting basic details through your intake form and entering them into your case management system
• Sending the conflict-check request through your process and passing the result to a lawyer
• Booking consultations and sending confirmations and reminders

Prompt, organized follow-up matters. A prospective client who waits days for a reply may simply call another firm.

2. Calendar and scheduling

• Managing attorneys' calendars, meetings and client calls
• Entering deadlines set by the lawyer or paralegal into the calendar and reminder system
• Rescheduling and confirming appointments
• Coordinating times with remote clients in other time zones

Calculating legal deadlines is legal work and stays with your attorneys. The VA's job is to make sure the dates they set are entered and reminded consistently. Our calendar management virtual assistant guide covers this in more detail.

3. Document collection and file organization

• Sending document checklists to clients and following up until everything arrives
• Naming, filing and organizing documents in your practice management or cloud storage system
• Preparing routine letters and forms from your templates for lawyer review
• Formatting and proofreading

4. Billing and accounts admin

• Preparing invoices from time entries for attorney approval
• Sending invoices and polite payment reminders
• Keeping a simple report of unpaid invoices
• Organizing receipts and expenses for your bookkeeper

Trust or client account transactions should stay with the lawyers and bookkeeping staff responsible for them under your jurisdiction's rules.

5. Inbox, client updates and marketing support

• Sorting the inbox and flagging urgent messages
• Sending routine status updates the lawyer has approved
• Asking satisfied clients for reviews
• Updating your website, Google Business Profile and social media posts

What a virtual assistant should not do

• Give legal advice or tell a client what to do in their matter
• Sign documents or file anything with a court in their own name
• Decide whether to take on a client or how to resolve a conflict
• Handle trust account funds or approve payments
• Set legal deadlines without attorney review

The lawyer stays responsible for the work. A VA works like any other non-lawyer support staff member: under supervision, with clear written instructions.

Confidentiality and data security

Law firms handle sensitive client information, and lawyers in both the US and Canada have professional duties to protect it and to supervise the people who assist them. Before bringing on any outside help, review the guidance from your state bar or provincial law society on outsourcing and technology.

Practical steps most firms take:

• Signed NDA: every MyVirtualExpert VA signs one before starting.
• Individual logins: the VA gets their own account in your practice management software, email and storage, with only the permissions they need.
• Files stay in your systems: no copies on personal devices or in personal email.
• Two-factor authentication on every account the VA uses.
• A written off-boarding step for removing access if the arrangement ends.

For a broader look at this topic, read is it safe to hire an offshore virtual assistant?

Virtual assistant or paralegal?

Many small firms use a VA alongside a paralegal or legal secretary, so trained legal staff can spend their time on legal work. If a lawyer needs one person to run their day — inbox, calendar, travel and priorities — an executive virtual assistant may be the better fit.

What it costs

MyVirtualExpert plans are simple and month-to-month:

• Flexible: $10/hour, for occasional overflow work
• Part-time: 80 hours/month from $699, often enough for intake, scheduling and billing admin at a solo or small practice
• Full-time: 160 hours/month from $1,199, for a dedicated assistant throughout your business day

There is no setup fee, your VA works your time zone, and if the fit isn't right we replace your VA at no cost. See the details on our pricing page or our administrative virtual assistant service page.

How to get started

• List the admin tasks that take your team's time each week.
• Mark the ones that need legal judgment. Those stay in-house.
• Write short instructions or record screen videos for the rest.
• Set up limited-access accounts and a daily check-in for the first two weeks.

Frequently asked questions