When people think of legal professions, the first job that comes to mind is a lawyer. But that is not the only job in the legal field. For the judicial process to happen, dozens of other jobs don’t require a lawyer’s training. This is what makes them perfect for work-from-home freelancers. That sounds impossible, but several legal professions are now possible online. This is mostly thanks to the pandemic, but there was already a small push for online work before. For those who are interested, here are some of your options.
Transcribing
Law proceedings need to be recorded. While a lot of courts have video and audio, nothing beats the written word. No need to press a reverse button and you go at your own pace when absorbing the information. But to get that transcript requires someone to do the job. That’s where you potentially come in. Transcription work is popular among freelancers because of the minimum requirements. All you need is a good audio set-up, and you should be able to start working. Legal transcriptions only need you to be familiar with some legal terminology so that you can spell them right. This should be easy to pick up.
Proofreading
There is also a lot of paperwork that comes with the legal profession. Lawyers usually submit pages of legal briefs and send out legal letters. While most lawyers do this on their own, there is still room for an editor or proofreader to be called in. It can be surprising how much lawyers need their help to create a clear and concise copy of their work. But even lawyers can be blind to making common typos and spelling mistakes. This also doesn’t take into account the grammar errors that even native speakers can make. Some of these mistakes can get expensive if something is misinterpreted or mistaken. All you need to do this job is a good handle on the English language to be accessible to anyone.
Court Reporting
Court cases need court reporters to record them accurately. While this usually means a presence in the courthouse when the case is being discussed. But they are also supposed to be present during less-formal legal matters. This includes depositions and arbitration. With many of these procedures starting to be done via online conference calls, you can potentially start doing court reporting without leaving your house. However, you will need some formal training in court reporting to do your job accurately. It takes two years to pass. But those who already have training can immediately get started.
Notarizing
A Notary Public handles notarial functions. This is mainly the notarizing of documents and swearing in witnesses. There are times that notaries can even marry people. The great thing about it is the requirements. In the US, all you need is a certification that you can work as a notary. This only needs passing the training and passing the test. With that, you can start offering your services. Note that being a notary is for supplementary income. The demand is good, but there are a lot of notaries out there competing with you.
Assisting
Being a lawyer is a complex and demanding job. This means a lot of work that they need to focus on. It leaves them little time to handle the various administrative tasks of running a business like taking phone calls, scheduling meetings, and more. This is where a virtual assistant comes in. If you work as a VA to a lawyer, you will be mostly doing their non-legal paperwork. This is similar to what an average assistant or secretary would do, though your main feature is that you don’t occupy any office space for them.
Paralegal Work
If you have some legal training or are a law student, you can put in some time as a work-from-home paralegal. It is similar to working as a VA, but you will be doing a lot of legal grunt work. This means calling up clients and doing some legal research. You might even be needed to write a legal report or two. You can be a great help to any lawyer swamped by work so if you have the skills, seriously consider it.
Working in the legal field can be very fulfilling. Helping in court cases can be a great feeling. That you can do it from home is a big bonus for you. If you are thinking of doing legal freelancing, the careers above should help you get your foot in the door.
