Work-life balance was the number one reason I began to think about the concept of being a freelance paralegal. At the time, I wasn’t even sure if it was a thing. After doing some research, I found a few people who had already started their businesses, and I was glad to know that, even though working as a freelance paralegal was a fairly new concept in the legal world, it existed!

We all have things in life that really make it hard to be physically present at an office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Whether it’s caring for a terminally ill family member, having children or competitive hobbies that require attendance on some days of the week, there’s always something to interrupt the work day! I have personally experienced all three during my life, and even as children grow older, being a mom doesn’t get easier as the demand for your presence gets harder to juggle.

In September 2025, I will have had my freelance business open for two years. There have been days since then that were challenging as I juggled mom duties, but overseeing my own schedule made it a hundred times easier. It takes a while to get into the flow of what your day will look like, especially if you have different kinds of tasks in your work. Don’t overstress about having to strictly plan out time organization. I was definitely scattered for a bit, but as time passed, I found ways that worked for me. It can get a little messy if you aren’t sure exactly what you don’t like to do. Below are a few suggestions as you start your business.

Taking on some work (subcontracting) from an established paralegal business or law firm would be the best way to get your feet wet and see what you can learn. That turned out to be the best experience for me because I learned a lot of new things, and I am still able to apply what I learned! It allowed me to speak with people in other states, learn how many ways attorneys practice law, work with new and different case law management systems, etc. If you can’t find work right away, look to your professional associations and find out how you can volunteer for projects and network.

Freelancing can be a bit of a roller coaster, but there is never a time when you won’t take away something from each experience that you can use in the future to help your clients or your business. There are a lot of free videos and information online that show you how to get started. Certainly, there are courses you can pay for, but just be aware that the most helpful tips are already available for free. I find the main benefit of paying for courses is that you can get free templates and time-management calendars. Connect with other paralegals on LinkedIn and associations such as the North Carolina Bar Association, the National Association for Legal Support Professionals or the National Federation of Paralegal Associates to see events and information on a daily basis.

Don’t get discouraged when there isn’t much work coming your way. This is the time to reach out to potential new clients and consider taking on some different types of work. Or, if you have maxed out your work hours, make sure you schedule in some time to do something you love for yourself. Recently, I’ve gotten involved in volunteering to care for the horses at a local horse farm that helps troubled youth. Something meaningful is fulfilling, and you can help make a difference in other ways. You don’t want to get burned out by only contributing to work-related tasks, so carve out time for the things you enjoy.

Be sure to communicate clearly with all your clients about project timelines. Don’t be afraid to be transparent and let them know when you may need to reschedule something due to your child’s softball game, but be diligent and make sure you come through on the deadline you provide. Most attorney clients are also parents and understand having to juggle the tasks that go along with parenting. I have found that they really appreciate working with someone who values family time.

If you take the time to keep track of your expenses and accounting tasks each month, it really doesn’t take long, and it prevents a mess at the end of the year. Get a good accountant or tax expert so you don’t have to carry that mental load. Keep in mind that a reason for freelancing is to help attorneys run their law firms and not waste time on the little things. This also applies to your business, so don’t get behind with administrative tasks that you can hire someone to help you do. There are plenty of software bookkeeping systems out there to help you with lots of questions related to your accounting so that you can run your business with ease. Don’t go for the cheapest package; it doesn’t always pay off.

There are some key things to understand here about being a freelance paralegal. I’m not just speaking to paralegals, but also to attorneys who may take away from this what I’m really trying to say. The premise of all this is to say that when a freelance paralegal can do the work from his or her remote office location with no public office distractions, the conclusion is that more quality products are being produced and at a much faster rate of speed. I can personally say that is in fact the case after working in an office environment for over 10 years.

Does that mean that all freelance paralegals are created equal? Definitely not. As a freelance paralegal, I have to find the right attorney-clients because not everyone has the same working style. Attorneys must also find the right freelance paralegal who will be able to work with their expectations and meet the needs of their law firm. The tasks that must be put off to the next day then become the responsibility of your freelance paralegal who can expedite those things to be completed while your office staff is able to stay on top of the next day’s deadlines. Just like other things in life, you must be willing to change your routine if you want to meet the goal. If you want to lose weight, change your routine. If you want to save money, change your spending habits. You can’t stay with the same old habits and expect different results, because that will never work.

Bonnie Keen is a freelance Paralegal and the owner of Lighthouse Paralegal Services, LLC. She is a North Carolina Certified Paralegal and is a member of the Communications Committee.

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September 23, 2025/by Paralegals