Virtual paralegals can offer lawyers the best of all solutions to their need for help” (Finkelstien, B. 2005 “Virtual Assistants” Broker Magazine, 44). Another article Outsourcing for Individuals and Small Businesses: Virtual Paralegals states: “A virtual paralegal allows individuals and small businesses to take advantage of the economics that the effective use of a paralegal can provide to a firm, as needed " (Price, C .2006 “Outsourcing arrives at the age of 27-28”). Even though virtual paralegals are on the horizon, getting lawyers to get used to the idea can be a huge adjustment for those who are used to hands-on services. Virtual paralegals pose known and unknown dangers to businesses, lawyers, and clients because you rarely have the chance to meet the paralegal face-to-face and get an in-depth feel for their personality and work ethic to gauge whether they are truly a good fit for the job. your company as a lawyer. Luckily, there are ways to limit these risks and begin reaping the benefits of efficiently and cost-effectively using the virtual paralegal services offered. You will need to ensure that the paralegal has a certification from an ABA-approved paralegal program and a minimum of five years of practicing as a paralegal in the industry or experience in a specialized area. It helps if the paralegal is a member of the local bar association or paralegal group. It will also be helpful to obtain references, testimonials, and client ratings from virtual paralegals' past work. It is important to know that if a virtual paralegal firm provides a service contract, review it to see that it includes a confidentiality agreement that helps reassure the client and protect your practice and work product, as well as your client's interests. You may be able to quickly verify all of this if the paralegal has a website. The website is the first detail used to determine the professionalism and quality of work the virtual paralegal is capable of. The website should have a professional appearance and the paralegal's credentials should be listed. The paralegal should be easily contactable via the website, email, telephone or fax. There should also be a toll-free number or local number for you to use.