I am a VA generalist with speaclizaions in the following areas:

Human Resources
Professional Development Training
Online Course Development
Mediation & Dispute Resolution (Onsite) - Starting June 2009
Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) - Starting June 2009

__________________
Monique Terrell, CEO
Sparkle Professional Office Services, LLC
www.sparkleofficeservices.com

• Intake of client file
o Client interviews
o Organizing information for ease to find
• Organization of electronic file
o Tracking location of documents
o Preparation of documents
 Pleadings – Complaints, Answers to Complaints, all discovery materials through time of trial and beyond
 Deposition Summaries
 Letters and Correspondences (traditional and electronic) to opposing counsel, witnesses, clients, Court officers, etc.
 Settlement Offers
 Settlement Statements
 Appeals documents
• Scheduling depositions, court hearings, etc.
o Contacting opposing counsel and courts to schedule hearing
o Contacting witnesses (expert and lay) to schedule statement dates/times
• Tracking litigation calendar (due dates for pleadings & documents)
o Keeping track of all due dates in preparation for trial
• Discovery support
o Preparation of discovery materials – Interrogatories/Answers to Interrogatories; Requests for Production of Documents/Answers to Requests for Production of Documents; Requests for Admissions/Responses to Request for Admissions
o Client/witness interviews to prepare Answer documents
• Trial Prep
o Organizing documents and exhibits for trial
o Preparing Voir Dire (Jury Selection) and Final Pre-Trial Orders
• Electronic Filing
o ECF and Courts of Appeals
• File Closing & Execution of Judgment
o Judgment payment tracking (when judgments are broken into payments to the winning party)
o Closing documents to Court after signature of all interested parties

I just realized that looks like a lot! And - it didn't format correctly and I can't figure out how to fix it. If anyone wants me to send it to them (just in case they need to refer) - just let me know and I'll send it to you.

Hi,

Dana, can all these tasks/projects be done virtualy?

I notice that nobody offers transcription as one of their services.

I offer the following services:

Data base design and data entry.
Spreadsheet design and entry.
Copy typing
Digital Transcription
General Administration Duties

__________________
Vicky
www.c-vas.eu

IMPORT LOGISTICS

- Prepare and submit accurate import shipping Customs clearance documents as required by US, Canada and China Customs

- Prepare and submit billing of all direct import orders in compliance with customer banking requirements

- Interpret Customer Vendor Compliance Manuals to insure compliance

- Oversee and track shipments by communicating with manufacturing plants abroad, customs brokers and freight forwarders

- Send weekly reports to customer specific global procurement divisions

- Maintain confidential records

- Prepare confidential reports as requested

Vicky - yes, they can all be done virtually. It takes scanning documents, or having them faxed to me (preferably scanning), but otherwise, I can do all of that virtually. Many of the courts around here are going to electronic filing, so once the attorney has approved the final form of the document to be filed at the court, I just attach his electronic signature, e-file the document, and its done.

I have one local client that I'm weaning to virtual because I convinced the office manager how much easier it would be (and cheaper on them in the long run) to have someone scan all documents into electronic files and I just have remote access to the computer system from my computer at my office.

Tom (office manager) told me a few weeks ago that I saved them almost $10K in litigation costs for the last trial because I was able to do it virtually instead of coming in because they would be charged a daily rate, which is 150% of my hourly rate x 8 hours (for example if my normal hourly rate was $5.00, it would then be $7.50 x 8 hours = $60, rather than the 3-4 hours I actually spent per day working on it at my normal rate).

I have not officially opened my business but my plan is to offer the following services:


Virtual Paralegal Assistance

§ Cite check and bluebook case law
§ Draft demand letters and legal pleadings
§ Basic legal research
§ Prepare discovery responses and requests
§ Prepare and maintain trial notebooks
§ Prepare and maintain document production, exhibit lists, deposition and witness logs
§ Prepare and maintain indexes of pleadings, medical records, trial exhibits, etc.
§ Create, update and modify electronic files
§ Electronic filing of legal pleadings with state and federal courts
§ Summarize depositions and discovery responses

Training Support Services

§ Basic and advance software training for Microsoft Office applications
§ Develop and create reference guides and quick reference sheets

Any feedback would be helpful. Thanks.

smcVirginiaVA

my niche is doing basic admin/secretrarial work to the following industries:-
*graphic design
*marketing
*TV
*Radio
*Music

a full list of my services that I offer can be found on my website (click below).

I aim to work with businesses from Ireland and the UK.

__________________
Julia Neal ...because we ♥ admin!
http://julianeal.wordpress.com

Lia --

Sounds great. I will have to check out your website.

Lillian

Great thread. I work with realtors, investors, and coaches. I perform the following services:
General Administrative Services
Calendar Management
Schedule and Confirm Appointments and Meetings
Internet Research
Research Equipment/Services
Word Processing
Data Entry
Spreadsheets, Graphs and Charts
Document Creation
Letters & Memos
Power Point Presentations
Schedule Travel Arrangements
Event Planning
Message Board Posting
Email Monitoring and Reply
Data Entry

This is a great list. I'm trying to get started and am currently in the research (and hope my brain doesn't explode) phase. I understand the importance of niches, however I'm not sure which niche I want to be in. I know Kylie said that she is a long way from where she started 2 years ago so it is okay to change along the way, but how do I know where to start? I would like to offer general administrative support (i.e. word processing, excel spreadsheets, data entry, databases, invoicing, etc.), but I don't have a specific industry in mind. I'm just not sure how to choose an area in which to offer my services.

I have two suggestions...

(1) to what niche would you have the most existing exposure? "Hey, I know A LOT of real estate agents!" or "Being on PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) has given me a lot of exposure to SAHMs (stay at home mom's)."

(2) have you worked in an industry that you LOVED to be in? "Before I got married and had kids I worked as a sales assistant and loved it!" or "During high school and college I helped out an accountant during tax season..."

Can you answer either of these with a response that resonates in your heart?

Even better if you can respond to both questions with the same answer! For example: My niche is Management Consulting or Executive Coaching...I've worked with a national consulting firm before so I had exposure to many coaches and trainers PLUS I loved the field.

Does this help?

__________________
Sundi D. Hayes
Chief Virtual Officer - My Office Zilla
www.myofficezilla.com

Yes, it does. I've worked in different areas - apartments, commercial rental property, gas and l.p. office, bank, mortgage office, abstract office. I have been fortunate to gain much experience, but it is quite diverse. I guess you could say that I have the most experience in real estate settings. I did love my job at the apartments, but I really haven't hated any of them except the gas and l.p. office. I could gear towards real estate offices, but I have no experience doing a lot of the things that other REVAs are offering such as virtual tours. I do know a lot of real estate agents, but after reading what the other REVAs offer, I'm a little gun-shy. The experience I have is much more general than that and so choosing the area tends to be a little evasive for me.

Just working on setting up my business. My niche will be in the property and casualty insurance area. Have worked in commercial insurance for more years then I want to tell you. Now I want to work on my own.
Looks like some interesting niches. Pattyben

VIRTUAL PARALEGAL SERVICES

I'm "de-limiting" my 3-month-old business, going from transcripts & data entry only to "paralegal services," since that's the best definition I can come up with for work I've been doing for 15+ years (95% in criminal defense, including investigations, admin, legal & tech support).

I'm basing this list on what I'm doing specifically for my main client, a friend & former colleague who encouraged me to "think big"! It allows me to combine my love of criminal law, research, & yummy database geek stuff

* Reading, summarizing, analyzing discovery (already scanned/OCR'd)
* Entering, classifying & cataloging in case management database
* Cross-ref/Linking docs to persons to events to evidence to facts to theories...
* Oh, learn the CMDB so I can train the lawyer - Masterfile. It's SOOOO COOOL! (although to be honest, I only have demo experience w/Casemap, but extensive experience creating case investigation databases in Access.)

I'll also offer the general transcribing, doc prep & filing, etcetera. To start, I'll be concentrating on the local attorneys who need extra help with discovery & trial prep from a really organized, criminal-law savvy, Constitution-loving, database freak. It helps that I've worked the last 8-10 years w/some really good ones, so I've got that proverbial pedal extremity through the portal...

Juliana