The awkward time in law firm history

I can still picture the day the first computers arrived at the first law firm where I worked. They were hulking, beige boxes with glowing green text, and they hummed with a sound that seemed both futuristic and intrusive. While some of us looked on with curiosity, our senior partner, a brilliant lawyer steeped in tradition, was skeptical.

He walked over to my desk, gesturing toward the new machine with his pen. "Holly," he said with the confident air of a man who had seen it all, "that thing is just a fad. It won't last long, and it will never replace my trustiest secretary and paralegal... you."

I smiled. He was right about one thing; the computer couldn't replace the human element, the critical thinking, or the client relationship skills that are the bedrock of a great paralegal. But he was wrong about it being a fad. For years, right up until his passing in 2014, I would gently tease him whenever he’d ask me to print an email. "Of course," I'd say with a grin, "Just as soon as we get those typewriters back to replace these silly computers."

For the decade after the first computer arrived in the office, law firms coast to coast were in an awkward phase. Some of us had to use computers and typewriters to prepare the simplest of documents. For example, document preparation was wild. You could prepare the notice of deposition in WordPerfect and print it. However, any subpoenas pertaining to the identical deposition notices needed to be typed on a typewriter because the subpoena form was still a carbon copy triplicate form.

The long-running joke between us is a perfect microcosm of the legal industry's relationship with technology. What once seemed like a novelty has become the central nervous system of the modern law firm.

And just as technology has evolved, so has the role of the paralegal.

From Repetitive Tasks to Strategic Roles

In the past, a paralegal would often spend their day on manual, repetitive tasks such as Bates stamping thousands of documents, manually organizing discovery binders, spending days in a dusty law library, and constantly typing and re-typing forms and pleadings.

Today, legal technology has automated or streamlined many of those functions, freeing paralegals from administrative burdens and empowering them to take on more substantive, strategic work.

E-Discovery and Document Management: Instead of manually reviewing paper documents, paralegals now manage sophisticated e-discovery platforms like Relativity or DISCO. They are the ones setting up review protocols, running complex search queries, and managing massive productions of digital evidence. Their role has shifted from manual sorter to data manager. However, it is critically important that lawyers and paralegals understand that strategies for naming files, documents, and maintaining the equivalent of "card logs" are still just as important as they were in the '90s. A powerful platform is only as effective as the organizational discipline applied to it. The new generation of legal professionals can apply the same principles we used then to their document management now—they just need to understand how by not overlooking the basics.
Case Management & Workflow Automation: Cloud-based platforms like Clio, MyCase, and PracticePanther have revolutionized the workflow. In that same innovative spirit, Best Virtual Paralegal also revolutionized the legal industry when I launched the company in 1990, introducing what was then a brand new concept: the first-of-its-kind 100% remote and virtual paralegal support service. (You can read more about our history here). Today, this combination of powerful software and forward-thinking support models has elevated the profession. Paralegals are no longer just reacting to assignments; they are proactively managing case calendars, tracking deadlines, automating client communications, and ensuring the entire legal team is synchronized. They have become project managers.
Advanced Legal Research: The days of pulling books off a shelf are long gone. While Westlaw and LexisNexis were the first leap, AI-powered tools are the next frontier. Paralegals can now conduct research with unprecedented speed and accuracy, uncover connections between cases that were previously hidden, and provide attorneys with deeper analytical insights.
Client Communication & Collaboration: Secure client portals and automated reminders have transformed how we interact with clients. The paralegal is often the primary point of contact, using technology to provide clients with real-time updates and documents, enhancing transparency and client satisfaction.

The Paralegal of the Future is a Tech-Savvy Strategist

The fear that technology will replace paralegals is as misguided today as my old boss’s “fad” comment was decades ago. Technology is not a replacement; it's an enhancement. It augments our skills, allowing us to contribute to a case at a much higher level.

The modern paralegal is a hybrid professional: part legal expert, part technologist, part project manager. Valuable paralegals know law and utilize tech for efficiency. Embracing this change isn't just about staying relevant—it's about becoming indispensable.

Are you ready to embrace the future of the legal field?

Whether you are a lawyer looking to optimize your firm or a paralegal wanting to elevate your skills, the key is to work smarter, not harder. The Best Virtual Paralegal Team can help you and your staff learn the new technology and efficiency strategies that define the modern legal practice. Don't get left behind. Schedule a complimentary phone consultation today to discover how we can help you thrive in this new era.

Holly A. Sheriff, ASPS, BBA, MSLS, MCC, CCC, PCC, LPCC, CPP is a self-employed paralegal and founding member of Best Virtual Paralegal LLC (BVP). She is also a certified Professional Master Life & Certified Career Coach, assisting legal professionals in achieving their business and life objectives. Holly helps lawyers save money and time by helping them identify gaps in their pleadings, procedures, and profits. Holly also helps paralegals build their confidence and increase their success. Contact Holly | (717) 747.3588 Call or Text

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