In today’s competitive legal landscape law firms must find ways to stand out from their competition. Having high client satisfaction rates is a great differentiator. While lawyers cannot keep every client happy, providing excellent client service will result in repeat work, valuable client referrals, and more money for your firm.
In this blog post we explore how hiring a freelance lawyer to assist your law practice on an as-needed basis will help with client satisfaction and in return maximize profitability.
Increased Flexibility and Scalability:
Client demands may seem never ending, especially during busy periods of work or right before a much needed vacation. Flexible freelance lawyer assistance can help with those demands. When faced with a sudden surge of files or a need for additional legal support, law firms can quickly engage freelance lawyers to scale up their operations. Conversely, during slower periods, they can scale back and reduce costs by not having to maintain a large permanent workforce. This adaptability ensures that law firms remain responsive to client demands while optimizing their profitability.
Efficient Time Management:
In almost all practice areas the number one cause of lawyer malpractice claims is a breakdown in lawyer-client communication. Part of the reason for this breakdown is the fact that lawyers are busier than ever and clients expect faster responses. Accordingly, expedient responses and on-time completion of projects is crucial for law firms to maintain client satisfaction. By hiring freelance lawyers, law firms can better manage their workloads and meet strict deadlines. Freelancers can focus solely on the assigned project, allowing the law firm’s permanent staff to concentrate on their core responsibilities. With the added capacity of freelance lawyers, law firms can streamline their operations and deliver high-quality services within tight timelines, ultimately enhancing client satisfaction and retention. No more missed deadlines and irate client calls!
Cost Effectiveness:
One of the primary advantages of hiring a freelance lawyer is the cost-effectiveness it offers to law firms and in turn to their clients. Due to the low overhead associated with their practices, freelance lawyers often set their rates below the hiring lawyer’s rates. This allows the hiring lawyer room to mark-up the freelance lawyers’ fees to earn a profit and still delegate out work at a lower rate translating into cost-savings for the client. Also, engaging freelance lawyers on an as-needed basis eliminates the need for long-term salary commitments, benefits packages, and overhead costs associated with a permanent employee. By only paying for the services rendered, law firms can allocate their resources more efficiently and substantially reduce their operating expenses.
Conclusion
Hiring a freelance lawyer on a project basis can be a strategic move for law firms aiming to boost client satisfaction and, in turn, profitability. Embracing this flexible model can empower law firms to adapt to changing market dynamics and secure a competitive edge in the legal industry by providing top-notch legal work and excellent client service.
Too busy to find a great freelance lawyer? At Flex Legal we have over 80 freelance lawyers who have at a minimum 5-10 years post call experience earned at reputable law firms and/or as in-house counsel. Interested in connecting with one of our pre-vetted freelancers? Fill out our HIRE US form today.
