Life in Lockdown: A day in the life of a law firm paralegal
Melissa Lirmanis shares with us, her day, working remotely as a Paralegal in the Wills, Probate and Lasting Power of Attorney team at Osborne Morris & Morgan.
It is fair to say that there have been a huge number of changes over the past couple of months, which have led to a need to rapidly adapt our ways of working and ensure that we continue to function smoothly.
The same can definitely be said for how I have changed the way that I work as a Paralegal, during this time.
8:00am – I start the day with a large cup of coffee at my desk after getting back from a long morning walk with our puppy, Mabel. She’s a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen – PBGV for short, and we got her just before the start of lockdown.
8:30am – My working-from-home set up doesn’t really differ too much from my work setup; I am equipped with a phone and computer. I start to review incoming emails.
9:00am – After reviewing the emails received overnight, I am then able to prioritise work for the day.
9:30am – Throughout lockdown we have been continuing to offer Will and Lasting Power of Attorney appointments via the telephone and also on Zoom. I review my colleague Sarah Crook’s diary – (Head of the Wills, Probate and LPA team) to make sure that everything is in place for the upcoming telephone appointments that she has today.
10:00am – I am contacted by a client who would like to receive one of our free Life Organisers and arrange to get this sent out to them.
11:00am – I begin to draft Mirror Wills for a young couple who wish to include a Life Interest Trust in their Wills. These clients are taking advantage of our current Will & LPA Packages that we are currently offering.
12:00pm – Lunchtime, and I head out for a walk with Mabel and we head to her favourite place which is a meadow not too far from the house. When I return, I start to continue some training with her which she is picking up really well.
1:00pm – I return from lunch and respond to any incoming emails and ensure that all letters and correspondence are ready to go out in the post.
14:00pm – On one of our Probate files, the deceased’s property sale has recently completed. I begin arranging for final distribution payments on estate to be sent out to the beneficiaries.
15:30pm – I begin to draft Lasting Power of Attorneys for clients who are taking out both Property & Finance and Health & Welfare LPA’s. This is a great way of ensuring that Attorneys are appointed in order to manage their affairs, should they lose mental capacity.
16:30pm – I take a call from a client who has sadly recently lost her mother and provide her with some guidance on the steps in administering her estate – taking her through the process of applying for Probate.
17:00pm – I review my emails for the day and make a plan of tasks to complete tomorrow.
Melissa Lirmanis – Paralegal
Here at Osborne Morris & Morgan, we have a team of award-winning Wills, Probate and Power of Attorney specialists who are prepared to work around you and your commitments, at a time to suit you. Speak to our expert team today on 01525 378177 or you can contact us online.
