BUSINESS
CAREERS
LISEGAGNE / DREAMSTIME.COM Pas de deux:
Working well with assistants
DONALEE MOULTON
Running a legal practice is a lot like
choreographing a ballet. The principal
dancers may be centre stage, but it takes a
backroom of people for the production to
be a success. In a law office, legal assistants and paralegals are the behind-the-scenes team—and everyone needs to be
moving in sync.
“An effective relationship is working
with someone who understands what
you’re working on and their role is to take
things off your plate,” said Lana Driscoll,
a senior consultant with ZSA Legal
Recruitment in Toronto.
“The most important thing,” she
stressed, “is open communication and clear
discussion on what your expectations
are — from both sides.”
Communication doesn’t just happen. It
needs to be built into the day-to-day run-
ning of the practice. “Lawyers should meet
with their assistants regularly, give them
as much information as possible about
their work and provide clear instructions
and timelines,” said Roz Chasler, assistant
director of administrative support servi-
ces with Ogilvy Renault LLP in Toronto.
“This helps create a system that works for
both of you, helps assistants understand
the context of their work, and allows them
to prioritize.”
It’s also a great way to start the week.
“Have a meeting with your assistant first
thing on Monday,” Driscoll recommends. “It
makes the assistant feel like a partner.”
As well, she pointed out, “most assistants
work much more effectively if they under-
stand the whole process.”
Good communication helps the team go
beyond sharing information, noted John
Ohnjec, division director with Robert Half
Legal in Ottawa. “By establishing a level of
trust, lawyers and assistants can learn about
each other’s work preferences and identify a
sound working arrangement.”
There are numerous actions lawyers
can take to foster and maintain a good
relationship with their assistants. Think-
ing ahead is essential. “If you know a large
job will be coming up, provide prior notice
where possible. This helps your assistant
reschedule priorities or ask for extra
assistance,” noted Chasler.
