The Difference between a Paralegal and a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant

Are you like most Americans, uncertain about job security, and wanting to find work that will provide an income even during these difficult economic times? The chances are that if you are reading this newsletter, you fall into that category, and have turned your attention to the opportunities available in working in the legal system.

In the legal system there are many opportunities for good work where one can earn an income without having to go through the long and expensive efforts of becoming an attorney. These opportunities are support roles, such as being a paralegal or a virtual bankruptcy assistant, in the legal system where people like you can earn a living while providing support in the courts or in the offices of attorneys. Reading this newsletter you are probably a person looking for the best opportunity for you in the legal industry, and are probably trying to determine whether being a paralegal or a virtual bankruptcy assistant is right for you.

What is a Paralegal?

Paralegals are professionals trained to support lawyers in various legal capacities and office duties. Paralegal work involves more responsibility than clerical tasks, and includes a broad range of complex legal work.  Paralegals perform legal research, draft legal documents, interact with clients, and organize and manage cases. Paralegals are often involved in challenging assignments that would otherwise be performed by lawyers, but cannot provide legal services directly to the public unless permitted by law.

Lawyers often can deliver legal services more efficiently and economically with the aid and experience of paralegals, who are also called legal assistants. Paralegals can help gather and manage large amounts of data to assist the lawyer to produce better quality work under pressure. The vast majority of the work done by paralegals is performed in the offices of an attorney involving legal tasks that require specialized training and education.

Competition for paralegal positions is intense as there are many people seeking the opportunities available in the current market. Attorneys are able to select from a larger pool of candidates than ever before, allowing them to choose the most qualified individuals. To become a valuable paralegal candidate a person can obtain certificates and associate degrees that will set them apart from those who have not made the efforts to gain education.

As higher education costs continue to rise, the price to become an educated and certified paralegal also continues to rise, and in many cases can cost well over $20,000 to achieve. As most people do not have an abundance of cash and savings to spend on schooling there are many alternatives to financing this education, such as getting federal Pell grants and student loans.

After 2-4 years of education and training, a person is prepared with the degrees and certifications necessary to making them marketable in the paralegal industry. The starting wages for a paralegal are generally around $15 per hour and upwards of $30 per hour after they have several years of experience are under the belt. There are many opportunities available to people willing to make the effort to become a paralegal

What is a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant?

The concept of a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant began back in 2001 when a paralegal named Victoria Ring and the attorney she was working for decided to try an experiment with bankruptcy preparation. Working as a paralegal for two attorneys in a typical bankruptcy law firm practice, one day one of the attorneys was watching Victoria work and recognized she was interrupted every 10-15 minutes while trying to compile a bankruptcy petition.

Knowing the bankruptcy petition is the most important document for ensuring a smooth process throughout the case, the attorney had an idea. He said to his partner: “Let’s see how the efficiency improves if we take the bankruptcy petition preparation outside the law firm and allow Victoria to work part-time from her home.”

The next weekend the attorneys moved a desk, computer, and a chair into the spare bedroom of Victoria’s home. In a single weekend she was able to prepare 15 bankruptcy petitions without any interruptions like phone calls, customers dropping by and other office employees asking her for help.

BENEFITS FOR THE BANKRUPTCY LAW FIRM

Not only were the attorneys able to have more cases prepared in a short period of time, but also the quality in the detail improved significantly. This resulted in:

** Eliminating almost all the deficiency notices from the court;
** Less phone calls from clients asking when their petition would be completed;
** Reduction of the overall paperwork for the law firm; and
** Created more income since cases were filed more expediently.

HOW THE IDEA GREW

When Victoria Ring saw how this idea was benefiting the law firm she worked for, she decided to introduce the concept to other attorneys so they could benefit also. That is when Victoria developed an Internet company and presented her ideas to attorneys across the country in larger cities like New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc. Within 9 months of developing the website she was earning over $100 per hour and had a client base of 56 attorneys and was able to quit her full-time job, and never looked back.

After being the first successful Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, Victoria started creating training materials to teach others the ins-and-outs of starting and running a virtual bankruptcy assistance business. These training materials grew into the opportunity that is now available at 713Training.com.

Becoming a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant can be accomplished in just a few short months and with only a small investment of less than $2,000, thanks to the training available through 713Training.com.

FACTS

** Virtual bankruptcy assistants are trained professionals who work solely under the direction of bankruptcy attorneys.

** In contrast to a VBA, a paralegal is required to go through years of training, pay for expensive education, deal with high competition to find a job, work in an office, and have a much lower earning potential.

ADVANTAGES TO LAW FIRMS UTILIZING VIRTUAL BANKRUPTCY ASSISTANTS

** Attorneys do not pay the standard overhead costs associated with hiring a full-time or part-time employee. Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants charge one flat fee just like the bankruptcy attorney does.

** Attorneys do not pay for services until they are satisfied with the quality of work produced by the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant. There are no financial risks for the law firm and the attorney can find the quality he or she is seeking.

** Attorneys do not invest in additional computer equipment or software. Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants maintain their own and are highly skilled in using their equipment and software or they would not stay in business.

** Paralegals and other law firm personnel are freed up to work on more complex cases. It is a known fact that the typical employee preparing petitions in a law firm is interrupted several times. This makes the information on the bankruptcy petition to not be consistent and precise, resulting in errors.

** Attorneys eliminate the need to train new employees. Most Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants stay with the same attorney for many years. Not only does this increase efficiency with bankruptcy petitions, but Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants get to know the clients, the local bankruptcy court and the attorney which helps them build a reliable reputation.

** Attorneys utilizing the services of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants who have been certified through the VBA Certification Exam can be assured of high quality and professionalism.

Become a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant Today!

If you haven’t already, start your journey to become a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant today! Visit www.713Training.com and check out the complete training packages and other training materials offered to help you launch your VBA career!

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