If you are interested in legal freelance, you should begin by earning whatever credentials you'll need to begin your legal freelance career. This means that you will need to earn appropriate educational degrees, certifications, or government licensing before you can practice. Next, develop a set of policies, including a fee schedule, for your new businesses. You should also establish a professional network to which you can market your legal freelance services. In some cases, you may find that it is more effective to begin your work in a freelance legal career by working with a job agency that can help you find employers and manage the financial and marketing aspects of your business.
A freelance legal career can take many forms. For example, you may be able to work as a freelance paralegal, legal researcher, or legal secretary. Attorneys may also offer services to other attorneys and law practices on a freelance basis. Find out if you are required to be licensed to provide these services in the jurisdiction in which you want to work. In many cases, paralegals and legal secretaries and researchers may not be required to hold a government-issued license to practice, but may benefit from earning professional certification, as this can establish their credentials to potential legal freelance clients. Graduation from a recognized training or educational program can also add to your credibility when marketing yourself.
You may want to start your legal freelance career by working for a legal temporary agency. This will give you significant job experience in providing temporary, freelance services to different types of lawyers, businesses, and law firms. Eventually, you may wish to develop your own business plan that includes rates and policies for providing legal freelance services directly to others. You can start a web page that documents your credentials and provides contact information for potential clients. Alternatively, you may be able to find online directories for legal freelance professionals where you can list your own website so that clients can find you.
Other things that you can do to market your freelance business is to attend legal functions in your community so that you can interact with other legal professionals. Have plenty of business cards on hand so that you can give them to industry colleagues who may be interested in hiring a legal professional on a freelance basis. In addition, you may also want to offer an incentive, such as a discounted service, to current clients who are willing to recommend you to other employers.
