A virtual assistant for law firms handles admin: intake forms, scheduling, document formatting, time entry and billing prep, and inbox triage. It does not give legal advice, handle trust money or replace a lawyer. Confidentiality needs strict access limits and your own professional rules.
A virtual assistant for law firms takes admin off lawyers so they can bill more time on legal work. Think intake forms, scheduling, document formatting and billing prep. It does not mean legal advice, trust money or anything a lawyer must do. This guide lists tasks that hand off well, explains confidentiality, and sets clear limits.
Virtual assistant for law firms: tasks to hand off
| Task | What the VA does | A lawyer keeps |
|---|---|---|
| Legal intake admin | Sends forms, checks they are complete, logs the enquiry | Deciding to take the matter |
| Scheduling | Books meetings and fills the calendar | Priorities |
| Legal document formatting | Applies your templates and styles | Content and sign-off |
| Time entry and billing prep | Tidies time entries and drafts invoices | Review and sending |
| Deadline sheet | Keeps dates in one sheet and flags them | Setting the dates |
| Inbox triage | Sorts mail and drafts routine replies | Anything with advice |
| File organising | Names and sorts documents by matter | Retention rules |
| Research brief admin | Collects sources the lawyer names | All legal analysis |
Client confidentiality: how to limit risk
Client confidentiality comes first in any law firm. Use your own systems, not personal email. Give each task the minimum access it needs. Remove access when the task ends. Keep a simple record of who can see which matter. Our Terms include confidentiality terms, and a data processing agreement is available on request. Your bar or regulator may add duties, so check those rules before you hand off anything sensitive.
Law firm admin support: what it cannot do
Law firm admin support has firm limits. An assistant does not give legal advice. An assistant does not handle client trust or escrow money. An assistant does not sign or file anything on a lawyer's behalf. Our focus is non-calling work, so if you need a staffed phone line, an answering service is a better fit. A lawyer should review all work that reaches a client.
Time entry and billing prep that saves hours
Time entry and billing prep is often the best first task. Lawyers note time in rough form. The VA cleans the entries to your style guide, groups them by matter and drafts the invoice. A lawyer reviews and sends it. Billing gets faster and fewer hours are lost. Write the steps in a task brief so the result is the same each month.
What it costs
How a law firm can start with a virtual assistant
Start small and keep control. Pick one admin task, such as legal intake admin or time entry cleanup. Write a short brief with the steps, the finished result and what the assistant must never do. Hand it off in a small block of hours. A lawyer reviews every output for two weeks. If the work is accurate, add a second task. A virtual assistant for law firms works best when the firm sets the rules first and the assistant follows them. That keeps client confidentiality and professional duties in the right hands.
A 3-hour block is $33, and pay-as-you-go is $12 an hour. The part-time plan is 80 hours for $500, and the full-time plan is 160 hours for $899, or $5.62 an hour. Unused hours roll over while your account is active. Prices are in US dollars. Use the cost calculator to match a plan to your hours.
Helpful next steps
- Virtual assistant for accountants — a similar guide for practices.
- Onboarding checklist — the first week with a new VA.
- Administrative assistant service — what the service covers.
- See pricing — from $12/hr pay-as-you-go to $5.62/hr full-time.
Frequently asked questions
What can a virtual assistant do for a law firm?
A VA can run intake forms, book meetings, format documents, tidy time entries, prepare draft invoices for lawyer review, sort email and keep a deadline sheet. These are admin tasks done in your own systems.
Can a virtual assistant give legal advice?
No. We do not give legal advice, and an assistant must never act as a lawyer. A lawyer reviews all legal work.
Can a VA handle client trust or escrow money?
No. Client money is regulated. Keep trust accounting with the people your rules allow. A VA can help with non-trust admin only.
How should a firm protect client confidentiality?
Work inside your own systems, give each task the minimum access and remove access when it ends. Our Terms include confidentiality terms and a data processing agreement is available on request. Check your bar or regulator rules too.
What is doing this yourself costing you?
Doing it yourself: $2,165 a month of your time.
The same hours at our $12/hr pay-as-you-go rate: $520. Dedicated plans start at $5.62/hr.
Simple maths from the numbers you enter. It assumes a VA can take on those hours.
Start for $1Written by the MyRemoteVA team. Search-trend figures come from Google Trends. Prices shown are our current plans. Last updated October 18, 2026. Questions or corrections? Contact us.