You’re only as good as your best paralegal.

Let’s discuss some tips that make a new paralegal the most efficient for your law business.

1. Type out office procedures in a chart or spreadsheet.

If you don’t have time to do this, hire a consultant or freelance paralegal to map this out for you. Trust me when I tell you the key to having clear procedures is explaining each task in great detail. Your procedures are a road map to success, and they are tailored to your practice. To keep staff informed of deadlines, attention to details must be communicated clearly. These details may include your preferences and other important matters.

Most attorneys are trying to train office staff, go to court and attend new consult appointments while juggling personal life events. Because attorneys are managing many different responsibilities, there are times when office staff may feel lost and frustrated. When a staff member doesn’t know what the next best step is, and an attorney is not there to answer a question, there is a chance that a staff member may make an incorrect decision.

High turnover, for whatever reason, makes it especially difficult to keep your office running smoothly when you can’t be physically present to train new staff at all times. This can lead to disastrous moments and challenging days where you may have to backtrack on cases and file amended documents. Having these detailed spreadsheets gives new staff something to rely on and allows you to take time off without interruptions.

2. During the first week, make sure to go over the type of cases you handle and talk one-on-one about what tasks you’re expecting them to do.

Lead by example and show how you want it done by doing the work with them the first time. Anyone who can be a resource for them to reach out to when it comes to certain tasks or cases that may be challenging is a big plus. Provide contact information for anyone who may assist them if you can’t be there.

3. Communicate your expectations clearly.

Meeting frequency, note-taking, typos in drafted documents turned in to you for approval, phone etiquette, dress codes and being on time are all important details to discuss. Building these into some of your office process spreadsheets will help new paralegal staff practice them as a habit. Also, it is a good idea to explain your disciplinary process for any violation of these expectations.

4. Recognizing staff for their achievements is wonderful.

If you are going to recognize one person, then make sure to recognize all staff. To ensure someone doesn’t get left out, it may be best to only give lunches or gifts for certain specific milestones, such as years of service at the firm and certain holidays. Keeping this simple rule will ensure that things stay fair among staff. One reason for high turnover in offices is when staff members notice that attention is focused on specific employees. This can create an uncomfortable work atmosphere, and an employee may feel undervalued and unappreciated.

5. Be open to questions from new staff members.

If new staff members can feel comfortable asking questions when they are first hired, it will help them to be confident to ask questions as they continue to learn. This is important because if your new staff member is hesitant to ask something, it often leads to incomplete tasks and others having to rush and get things done. It may be that this person needs to learn to be more confident. One way to ensure that is to check in with them frequently.

It has been a great experience working with attorneys who demonstrated respectful leadership and guidance, which helped me become a good paralegal. It truly doesn’t feel stressful when the work environment is supportive and respectful for paralegal staff.

Bonnie Keen is a paralegal with the Medicaid Investigations Division with the NC Department of Justice. She is a North Carolina Certified Paralegal and is a member of the Communications Committee.

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The Paralegal Division Blog is managed by the Division’s Communications Committee. Via the blog, the Communications Committee provides information written by attorneys, paralegals, and other experts designed specifically for paralegals in the areas of substantive law, ethics, technology, paralegal practice advice, and more. If you are interested in signing up to submit a blog post on a future date, you can do so here. When you are ready to submit a blog post, you can do so by using this form.

You may also wish to participate in the Division by using our virtual suggestion box to submit suggestions/ideas to the Division Council, nominating a paralegal for Paralegal Spotlight, or completing the Paralegal Spotlight Questionnaire if you are nominating yourself. If you are interested in volunteering with the Communications Committee, please contact the Communications Committee Chair at [email protected]. If you are interested in joining other division committees, you can review a list of committees and sign up here.

June 29, 2026/by Paralegals