Are there remote work opportunities for attorneys and legal professionals?
The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 has sparked alarm worldwide and life as we knew it ground to a halt.
Now that we are being strongly encouraged to avoid public places and practice “social distancing”, courts have postponed all but the most essential court proceedings and law firms have closed their doors and sent legal professionals home to work remotely.
To say that there will be an adjustment period is an understatement.
Undeniably, the legal profession is facing a challenging new reality, as this abrupt departure from ‘business as usual’ has forced law students, attorneys, partners, associates, and everyone working in the legal industry to reevaluate their legal careers.
As a result, the focus on the remote legal work changed overnight, with attorneys sharing their concerns about whether their firms would survive the economic downturn.
“The coronavirus is pushing everyone into this kind of extreme working from home,” says Nicholas Bloom, a professor of economics at Stanford University in California who’s given TED Talks about remote work. He says there are two types of working from home: short-term or occasional work from home, and permanent or full-time work from home. “It is kind of like comparing light exercise to marathon training,” he says.
Even though the legal industry has been slow in embracing the trend of virtual firms and remote legal work because of heavy regulation, concerns over client data protection and compliance issues, the new reality forced upon the legal field mandates swift accommodation.
Fortunately, the demand for remote legal candidates should skyrocket in 2020 for obvious reasons, with many law firms hiring remote attorneys, legal assistants, paralegals, and other legal professionals.
A recent Gallup poll confirmed that 43 percent of employed Americans already work remotely at least partially each week.
Speaking of silver linings, those who are still skeptical about working from home should be happy to know that there are various benefits.
What are the benefits of an attorney or other legal professional working remotely?
Impressive productivity
A two-year study by Stanford University shows that there was an impressive improvement in work productivity among people who worked from home.
The study of 500 people who worked both remotely and in a traditional setting concluded that productivity among home-based workers was equal to a full day’s work each week.
Increased employee retention
The same research stated that remote legal workers were less likely to leave the company for other employment. According to the study, there was an overall 50% decrease in attrition among home-based legal workers.
Reduced costs
According to remote worker stats figures from TECLA, a global IT recruiting company. Remote workers can save about $7,000 a year on average. The bulk of those savings comes from reducing the cost of food, clothing, commuting, and child care.
Reduced stress
According to data provided in 2019, by OWLLabs, remote legal workers are 24% more likely to report feeling happier and more productive at their jobs. No commute, flexible schedule, and control over their work environment play a major role in helping workers feel more relaxed about their legal jobs.
It benefits workers of all ages
While law graduates and younger attorneys like millennials and members of Gen Z may specifically desire the flexibility remote work provides, it benefits legal workers of all ages. According to a report by global freelancing platform Upwork, 73% of all teams will have remote workers by 2028.
It’s here to stay
A Forbes report called remote work “standard operating procedure” for 50% of the U.S. population.
A 2019 report on the State of Remote Work by Buffer concluded that “remote work is here to stay.” The survey of nearly 2,500 remote workers found that an overwhelming 99% said they wanted to work from home, at least some of the time, for the rest of their careers.
What technology tools should you learn to use as a remote attorney or legal professional?
It’s fair to say that technology nowadays is easy to master, accessible, and essential for working remotely. Advanced technology will make it simple for legal professionals to work remotely, stay productive, and build a path toward a lucrative legal career. Therefore, as a remote legal professional, it is imperative to invest time in understanding the best online tools.
AppearMe
AppearMe is a real-time mobile & web app that enables legal professionals to submit and accept appearance requests, deposition requests, and various freelance tasks.
Zoom
A remote conferencing service that provides a secure cloud platform for audio and video chats, conferencing, collaboration, and webinars across various mobile devices, desktops, and room systems.
Clio
A cloud-based legal practice management software that allows attorneys and legal firms to handle important deadlines, manage cases and documents, and handle billing and trust accounting.
Krisp
An Al-powered noise cancelation technology that allows you to speak or listen without noise during your remote meetings, conference calls, live streams, etc.
Which remote legal jobs are available now?
Attorney
Attorneys enjoy massive work-from-home flexibility, especially if they have specialized expertise and a lot of experience. In some states, depending on the position, the requirements may include licensing, but also strong writing skills, research skills, have an innate attention to detail, a high level of integrity, and a strong work ethic.
Click to find attorney jobs on LawCrossing
Paralegal
Paralegal’s duties involve helping attorneys by conducting legal research, filing, and drafting legal documents, and assisting licensed lawyers to prepare court proceedings, trials, and other corporate events.
Click to find paralegal jobs on LawCrossing
Contract Analyst
Remote contract analysts can work for law firms, private or corporate organizations, government entities, or other organizations. Even though some employers require just a bachelor’s degree, a JD is often a requirement.
Click to find analyst jobs on LawCrossing
Court Reporter
Courts require remote court reporters to take verbatim written records of court proceedings, dispositions, government agency proceedings, trials, and other transactions for a variety of clients. Usually, the requirements are a certified shorthand reporter’s license or similar certification and previous experience.
Click to find court reporter jobs on LawCrossing
Legal Writer
There’s a healthy demand for legal writers. It is one of the most popular work-from-home professions. To qualify, you may need to have experience as a practicing lawyer and a JD degree and. However, some legal firms require just general legal knowledge.
Click to find legal writer jobs on LawCrossing
So, even though the current COVID-19 chaos threatens a lot of legal jobs and poses a threat to the legal industry, there still are a lot of remote legal job openings.
