Rethinking Law Firm Support Staff Structures for a Modern Practice

Rethinking Law Firm Support Staff Structures for a Modern Practice

In a recent Clio blog post, Lauren Erdelyi highlights how the structure of law firm support staff directly impacts operations, from lawyer productivity to client service. While many firms still use models designed for the paper-based era, where each attorney had a dedicated assistant, the legal landscape has shifted dramatically with the rise of remote work, evolving client expectations, and advancements in legal technology driving change.

Erdelyi explains that modern firms are moving beyond traditional one-to-one staffing in favor of centralized, hybrid, and outsourced models. Centralized teams pool expertise and provide broader coverage, albeit at the expense of some personalization. Hybrid structures combine in-house and offshore resources to balance efficiency and client service, while outsourcing entire functions can reduce management overhead but raises concerns about confidentiality and quality control.

The article highlights how evolving roles, from paralegals to administrators, now involve greater autonomy and broader responsibilities, especially as technology reshapes daily tasks. Research from BigHand, cited by Erdelyi, shows that centralized models are gaining traction, offering efficiency gains and reduced costs compared to legacy systems. At the same time, shifting staff-to-lawyer ratios and the rise of remote work are redefining what support looks like in practice.

For managing partners, law firm support staff structures must be treated as strategic assets, not legacy holdovers. Firms that align staffing models with modern workflows and technology benefit from improved efficiency, reduced costs, and stronger client service. Erdelyi emphasizes that thoughtful restructuring is less about cutting expenses than about enabling growth, empowering staff, and delivering better outcomes for both lawyers and clients.