Can a Process Server Save You Time?

Perhaps you read this title and are thinking, "What the heck is a process server, and why would I need one?" Well, if you're a lawyer going it on your own or working for a less-than-mammoth-sized firm, you're likely finding yourself shuffling more papers than a national forest could produce! You probably thought you were done with all those menial delivery and document-processing tasks when you graduated law school and passed the bar exam. But budget cuts and lacking support staff often means that your precious time and legal expertise are often wasted doing just what you never dreamed of doing.

If you'd much rather handle your clients' cases with a clutter-free desk - never mind, a less cluttered mind! - you should consider outsourcing some of the less desirable aspects of your workload to a process server. A process server can handle the delivery of writs, complaints, summonses, subpoenas, and other legal documents, so you don't have to interrupt your busy schedule for such mundane jobs. Other document processing and signature accrual needs can be furnished by such a resource as well.

Outsourcing important documents to a process server may not be the optimal choice for your personal situation. Perhaps you like to get a little bit of fresh air in between stuffy legal research and heated courtroom deliberations. Maybe you enjoy the thrill of dodging cabs or the social potential involved in greeting each receptionist in town. Perhaps if someone else was doing your paperwork for you, you'd feel compelled to take on more clients and make more money, and you don't want to deal with the decisions that come with travel and investment potential.

If you wouldn't mind freeing up your time so you can grow your legal department or practice, you may well find a process server beneficial. However, you should exercise caution in selecting one that has a steady professional reputation for timeliness, discretion, and accuracy, and panache. Because any outsourced work still reflects on your own reputation, you'll want to research any prospective services and use them on a trial basis before entrusting them with documents related to your more sensitive cases and most coveted clients.

If you've finished law school and passed the bar, you have nothing to prove: You can certainly handle your own legal documents effectively. However, doing so may not be the most profitable and efficient use of your valuable time. By outsourcing some of your paperwork to a document processor, you can free up your calendar to take on more clients or simply to focus more intensely on the casework that you have.