Now that Robots Can Replace Legal Support Staff, Here Are7 Ways To Robot-proof Yourself

Talk about robots and artificial intelligence is going on these days. It inevitably surfaces when firms engage me to recruit legal support staff because machines can be trained to deliver consistent service without the many human attitudes and bad habits that seem to surface.

Some of you might have taken this test that was posted by the BBC: Will a robot take your job?  That there would be a 3.5% chance for barristers, solicitors and judges did not come as a surprise. The sobering forecast was there would be a 97.6% chance for legal secretaries (or legal administrative assistants, as we call them in YVR).


Soon I think, unless, you have found a way to make yourself truly indispensable to your lawyer and the firm. It does not matter whether you are a floater or receptionist or a twenty year paralegal, you can become the go-to person in your office. You can be the person who everyone goes to if they have a problem they can not solve.

Sound difficult? It is not simple, nothing worthwhile ever is, but it can be done. Because being the go-to person involves more than experience, more than legal knowledge, more than skills. It involves the right attitude and mindset, and I am not sure if there is an algorithm for a robot to use to get the right attitude and mindset.

Here are seven ways you can do to robot-proof yourself and be valued as the go-to person in your office.

1. Know the business, not just your job. Remember that every law firm is a business. Is there a better way to capture those costs so they can be appropriately passed on to the client?
2. Keep on top of the changes in your field. Keep up with people moving from one job or one field to another. Perhaps you used to call on a particular expert. Now you need someone in a hurry and you did not realize that expert has retired. If you knew ahead of time, you could have made arrangements to have another person to call when you needed them.
3. Be both a creative and practical problem solver. Do not say you cannot solve a problem even if you have absolutely no idea about how to do it. Ask if they can give you some time to think about it, and then do just that.
4. Have a good work ethic. Make sure your work is done on schedule – if it can not be, give people notice that you are going to be late, tell them how late you will be, and stick to that.
5. Be available. Understand that there are times when projects are urgent and share that urgency. Be available if there is a need for weekend or evening work.
6. Be a good communicator. Work on explaining yourself, your work, your ideas in a concise, clear and interesting way. This will help you get your point across in any circumstance.
7. Be confident. Everyone appreciates someone who sounds like they know what they are talking about and if you have mastered the items above, you will know what you are talking about.  If you need to, make a list of talking points before you make the phone call or go into the meeting.

There is no reason you can not become the go-to person in your office. Just not try these simple steps and you will see how easy it is. You will also see how not satisfying it is to really master not just your job, but your place in the legal community.  If you need a hand in preparing to move to a new workplace, write me.

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