Attorneys' Guide: How to Overcome Hesitation in Delegating Key Tasks to Paralegals

A recent survey by the American Bar Association found that 68% of attorneys have trouble delegating important work to support staff. To the attorneys readings this— are you a part of this 68%?

Do you find yourself staying late at the office to complete tasks that a skilled paralegal could handle? Are you reluctant to delegate important work because you think no one can do it as well as you can?

As a paralegal who has assisted various attorneys over a decade, I often see them fall into the trap of believing they are the only ones capable of handling critical tasks. It’s unfortunate, but understandable! There are valid reasons attorneys may hesitate to delegate important work.

They often think "it's faster if I just do it myself" or "they won't do as good of a job as I would." They feel ultimately responsible for the final product and want to maintain quality control. Delegating can feel like they giving up control (but it actually allows attorneys to practice leadership).

This stubborn mindset will ultimately:

• Stunt potential growth

• Lead to burnout

• Reduce efficiency

• Not be sustainable long-term

There IS an easier way to manage your workload, and it will take some mindset changes to get there! I’ve witnessed many attorneys see the light and finally feel the benefits of proper delegation.

As you take and implement the following tips, it’s important to remember that you chose to hire paralegal help FOR A REASON. Well-trained paralegals CAN handle complex tasks. By assuming you could complete a task “better” than your team, you are limiting yourself the time and energy to focus on higher-level responsibilities. You are inadvertently communicating to your paralegal staff that you don’t trust them or that you don’t think they could handle tasks for which they were trained.

Instead, it’s time to increase productivity, let go of control, and STOP HOLDING YOUR PRACTICE BACK!

Here are strategies attorneys can use to feel more comfortable delegating critical tasks:

• Start small— Delegate a task that you would consider to be “low-risk”.

• Provide context and clear expectations to your team to relay what you expect upon delivery

• Check-in with your team— but DON’T micromanage. Offer your support if needed without undermining autonomy

• Let go of perfectionism— Focus on overall quality rather than minor details

• Maintain open communication— Provide constructive feedback as needed to continue growing paralegals' capabilities

• Recognize your paralegals' contributions— Celebrate their growth and achievements, this will help to reinforce the purpose of why you are intentionally working on delegation in the first place

Delegation is a learned skill requiring a shift in mindset. But with the right strategies, attorneys can:

• Leverage paralegal talent to increase productivity and profitability

• Reduce their overwhelming workload

• Focus on high-value work

• Become a more present and intentional attorney for your clients

• Demonstrates trust and enables paralegals to grow their skills

Try these delegation strategies. You will grow to delegate better without sacrificing quality. It's a win for everyone - you, your paralegals and your clients!

DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT PROVIDE PARALEGAL SUPPORT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WE ARE NOT ATTORNEYS. WE ARE NOT TRAINED, QUALIFIED, OR ALLOWED BY LAW TO GIVE LEGAL ADVICE.

If we haven’t met yet, I’m Brooke! I’m the founder of Knoxville Paralegal Services (KPS). We are a contract paralegal company based in Knoxville but serve attorneys NATIONWIDE. We handle assignments remotely and as an “on-demand” service.

Learn more about us here OR book your [FREE] 30-minute consultation call to learn more 📲

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