Remote Counsel Staffing Guide

Hiring a remote legal assistant · Updated 11 November 2026

Hiring a Remote Legal Assistant in 2026

This page is for law firms hiring a remote legal assistant. Looking for remote legal assistant work instead? See the note at the bottom of the page.

HireParalegals is our top pick for firms hiring a remote legal assistant with legal experience who works US hours, from $8/hour, part-time or full-time, from Latin America. Virtual Legal Assistants is the lowest-risk way to try: no deposit and no placement fee until you choose. For a US-based remote assistant, Back Office Betties and Zirtual sell hour bundles; for a full-time hire with an employer of record, Get Staffed Up publishes $2,545/month.

We compared 11 providers by where the assistant is (US, Latin America, Philippines, India) and how you hire (staffing platform, employer-of-record agency, generalist VA company, US hour bundles). Pick your hours and role to see published prices.

Top picks

  1. 1. HireParalegals — From $8/hour
  2. 2. Virtual Legal Assistants — From $8/hour
  3. 3. Virtual Latinos — From about $1,600/month
  4. 4. VirtualStaffing.com — From $2,227/month
  5. 5. Legal Soft — From $10/hour
Compare all 11 →

Compare 11 providers

11 providers

Monthly cost at hrs/week from each provider's published rate card (hours × 52 ÷ 12 for hourly providers; the smallest bundle that covers your hours for bundle providers; full-time prices shown as published). Spanish adds only the surcharges providers publish.

#1

HireParalegals Our pick

Dedicated, mostly bilingual legal staff from Latin America on US hours, billed hourly.

Latin AmericaUS hoursLegal-onlySpanish

Published priceFrom $8/hourHourly, dedicated
At your settings$1,387–$2,77340 hrs/wk × published rate
Our score54/60
  • Legal specialisation9
  • Cost at our reference scenario10
  • US-hours coverage9
  • Flexibility of commitment9
  • Replacement terms8
  • Spanish / bilingual9

Wrong choice if: You need 24/7 overflow answering from a pooled team, or your policy requires US-based staff.

Read the review Visit HireParalegals ↗

#3

Virtual Latinos

Latin American virtual assistants across many roles, no setup or recruitment fees.

Latin AmericaUS hoursGeneralistSpanish

Published priceFrom about $1,600/monthMonthly, full-time
At your settings$1,600full-time monthly price
Our score46/60
  • Legal specialisation5
  • Cost at our reference scenario9
  • US-hours coverage9
  • Flexibility of commitment6
  • Replacement terms8
  • Spanish / bilingual9

Wrong choice if: You need a legal-trained hire without doing the legal screening yourself.

Read the review Visit Virtual Latinos ↗

#4

VirtualStaffing.com

Full-time English/Spanish legal staff with a published monthly price per role.

Latin AmericaUS hoursLegal-onlySpanish

Published priceFrom $2,227/monthMonthly, full-time
At your settings$2,227full-time monthly price
Our score44/60
  • Legal specialisation9
  • Cost at our reference scenario8
  • US-hours coverage9
  • Flexibility of commitment5
  • Replacement terms4
  • Spanish / bilingual9

Wrong choice if: You need fewer than 40 hours a week, or written contract and replacement terms up front.

Read the review Visit VirtualStaffing.com ↗

#6

Get Staffed Up

Full-time remote staff for law firms from Latin America and South Africa; GSU is the employer of record.

Latin America & South AfricaUS hoursLegal-onlySpanish add-on

Published priceFrom $2,145/monthMonthly, full-time
At your settings$2,545full-time monthly price
Our score42/60
  • Legal specialisation9
  • Cost at our reference scenario7
  • US-hours coverage9
  • Flexibility of commitment6
  • Replacement terms4
  • Spanish / bilingual7

Wrong choice if: You want part-time hours at a published rate, or a paralegal-level hire rather than an assistant.

Read the review Visit Get Staffed Up ↗

#7

Stealth Agents

Full-time Philippine executive assistants (160 hours/month) with a one-time onboarding fee.

PhilippinesUS hoursGeneralist

Published priceFrom $1,600/monthMonthly, full-time
At your settings$1,600full-time monthly price
Our score39/60
  • Legal specialisation5
  • Cost at our reference scenario9
  • US-hours coverage9
  • Flexibility of commitment5
  • Replacement terms8
  • Spanish / bilingual3

Wrong choice if: You want legal-trained staff or Spanish speakers.

Read the review Visit Stealth Agents ↗

#8

Wyzer Staffing

Legal staffing with separate part-time and full-time rates per role.

Latin AmericaUS hoursLegal-onlySpanish add-on

Published priceRole-based rates publishedQuote only
At your settingsOn requestno public price for this role
Our score39/60
  • Legal specialisation9
  • Cost at our reference scenario3
  • US-hours coverage9
  • Flexibility of commitment7
  • Replacement terms4
  • Spanish / bilingual7

Wrong choice if: You want a rate we have independently verified this month.

Read the review Visit Wyzer Staffing ↗

#9

Wishup

General virtual assistants from India with a legal industry page; US-based tier costs more.

India (US-based tier available)US hoursGeneralist

Published priceFrom $999/month (4 hrs/day)Monthly, full-time
At your settings$1,999full-time monthly price
Our score36/60
  • Legal specialisation5
  • Cost at our reference scenario8
  • US-hours coverage5
  • Flexibility of commitment7
  • Replacement terms8
  • Spanish / bilingual3

Wrong choice if: You need phone intake or Spanish-speaking clients handled.

Read the review Visit Wishup ↗

#10

Zirtual Paralegals

US-based paralegals and legal assistants on hour-bundle subscriptions.

United StatesUS hoursLegal-only

Published priceFrom $549/month (10 hours)Hour bundles
At your settings$8,664pro-rated above the 80-hour bundle
Our score35/60
  • Legal specialisation9
  • Cost at our reference scenario2
  • US-hours coverage9
  • Flexibility of commitment8
  • Replacement terms4
  • Spanish / bilingual3

Wrong choice if: You need 30+ hours a week, where offshore full-time staff cost a fraction of the bundle price.

Read the review Visit Zirtual Paralegals ↗

#11

Back Office Betties

US-based, legal-trained receptionists and virtual legal assistants for small firms.

United StatesUS hoursLegal-only

Published priceFrom $338/month (answering) · $886/month (assistant)Hour bundles
At your settings$6,717pro-rated above the 60-hour bundle
Our score35/60
  • Legal specialisation9
  • Cost at our reference scenario3
  • US-hours coverage9
  • Flexibility of commitment7
  • Replacement terms4
  • Spanish / bilingual3

Wrong choice if: Budget is the deciding factor, or you need Spanish-language answering as standard.

Read the review Visit Back Office Betties ↗

Need help choosing? Decide where your assistant should be before you decide who to hire through. Latin America overlaps US hours and usually brings Spanish; the US removes any time-zone or data-residency question but costs four to eight times as much; the Philippines and India are cheapest for back-office work but overlap US hours less.

Cost guide · How we score

On this page

Talent location Providers here Published price (40 hrs/wk) Time-zone overlap with US firms Spanish
Latin America HireParalegals, Virtual Legal Assistants, VirtualStaffing.com, Virtual Latinos, Wyzer Staffing $1,387 (HireParalegals, VLA) to $2,227 (VirtualStaffing.com); HireParalegals up to about $2,773 senior Full: most countries are within 1–3 hours of US Eastern Usually standard
Latin America & South Africa Get Staffed Up $2,545 legal assistant (+$200 Spanish) Full Add-on
United States Back Office Betties, Zirtual Hour bundles at about $39–$65/hour; full-time equivalent several thousand dollars a month Full Not standard
Philippines Stealth Agents $1,600 core VA (160 hrs/month) Night shifts to cover US hours No
India Wishup $999 half-day, $1,999 full-day; US-based tier $5,400 Partial No
Not stated Legal Soft from $10/hour, full-time Your schedule Not advertised

For comparison, the BLS median wage for paralegals and legal assistants in the US was $30.24/hour ($62,890 a year) in May 2025, before payroll taxes and benefits.

Four ways to hire

1. Legal staffing platform (hourly). You choose from a shortlist of pre-vetted legal candidates and pay an hourly rate that includes the platform's fee. HireParalegals ($8 entry / $12–$14 mid / about $16 senior, monthly rolling, part-time allowed) and Virtual Legal Assistants (from $8, no deposit or placement fee). Fastest route to someone with legal experience.

2. Employer-of-record agency (monthly). The agency employs the assistant, runs payroll, tax and HR, and charges you a monthly fee. Get Staffed Up ($2,545 legal assistant, month-to-month with 30 days' notice, dedicated virtual machines) and VirtualStaffing.com ($2,227 legal assistant). Higher price; less admin for you.

3. Generalist VA company. Assistants for every industry: about $1,600/month (Virtual Latinos, Stealth Agents) or $999–$1,999 (Wishup). Cheapest, but you screen and train for legal work.

4. US hour bundles. US-based professionals sold by the month: Zirtual (legal assistant 10 hours $549 to 80 hours $3,999) and Back Office Betties (20 hours $886–$1,025 to 60 hours $2,325–$2,860). Best for a few hours a week, not a full-time seat.

You can also hire directly through a freelance marketplace or job board. You avoid platform fees but take on recruiting, vetting, contracts, payment and, in some countries, local labour-law exposure yourself.

| Hours/week | HireParalegals | Virtual Legal Assistants | Get Staffed Up | Zirtual (US) | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 10 | $347–$693 | $347 | $2,545 (full-time) | $3,999 (80-hr bundle) | | 20 | $693–$1,387 | $693 | $2,545 | about $4,332 | | 30 | $1,040–$2,080 | $1,040 | $2,545 | about $6,498 | | 40 | $1,387–$2,773 | $1,387 | $2,545 | about $8,664 |

Hourly rates use 52 weeks ÷ 12. Full-time-only providers show their full-time price at every setting. Use the calculator above for every provider and role.

The terms overlap in job ads:

  • Remote legal assistant usually means a legal assistant who works remotely as part of your team, on your schedule, often full-time. It's a hiring arrangement.
  • Virtual legal assistant is often used for the same thing, and sometimes for a shared or part-time service.
  • Paralegal is a different level of work: substantive drafting, discovery, research support under supervision. Expect to pay more (VirtualStaffing.com lists $2,922 for a paralegal vs $2,227 for a legal assistant).

Decide by the tasks: client contact, scheduling, documents and data entry are legal-assistant work; drafting and discovery are paralegal work. Our job description template helps you write it down.

Five steps to hire well

  1. Write the job description (template in our guide). List systems, hours, languages and the first-month tasks.
  2. Choose location, then model using the tables above.
  3. Interview on real work. A recorded mock intake call; a short drafting task from a template; a calendar exercise.
  4. Check terms in writing: rate and what it includes, notice period, replacement, who the employer is, data security.
  5. Onboard for 30 days: shadow, then own a task list, then a review. Our Latin America guide covers time zones, holidays and payment norms for the most common hiring region.

This site is for firms hiring. If you're looking for remote legal assistant jobs, the providers above recruit continuously: see the careers or "apply" pages on HireParalegals, Virtual Legal Assistants and Get Staffed Up. For US-based roles, general job boards list remote legal assistant openings by state.

Every provider in detail

In ranking order. Prices are quoted exactly as each provider publishes them; the scenario figure applies our reference settings.

1. HireParalegals — From $8/hour

Dedicated, mostly bilingual legal staff from Latin America on US hours, billed hourly.

For firms hiring a remote legal assistant, HireParalegals combines the three things most firms ask for: legal experience, US-hours overlap (Latin America) and Spanish. It's also one of the few providers allowing part-time hours, with a published three-band rate card ($8 entry, $12–$14 mid, about $16 senior) on a monthly rolling engagement.

What it publishes:

  • Entry-level rate of $8/hour, mid-level $12–$14/hour and senior about $16/hour, per the pricing page.
  • The pricing page describes the starting rate as inclusive of all fees and the engagement as monthly rolling.
  • Its estimator converts hours to a monthly figure using 52 weeks ÷ 12.
  • Most candidates are bilingual English/Spanish and work US hours; it highlights personal injury firms among its clients.

At our reference scenario (a full-time remote legal assistant (40 hrs/wk)): $1,387–$2,773 (40 hrs/wk × published rate). Minimum: Part-time or full-time; hire for the hours you need. Contract: Monthly rolling engagement. Setup: Starting rate stated as inclusive of all fees.

Where HireParalegals is the wrong choice: You need 24/7 overflow answering from a pooled team, or your policy requires US-based staff.

Full HireParalegals review → · Source: pricing page ↗

3. Virtual Latinos — From about $1,600/month

Latin American virtual assistants across many roles, no setup or recruitment fees.

What it publishes:

  • Pricing page compares a Virtual Latinos assistant at $1.6K/month with $4K for US-based.
  • No recruitment, access or setup fees; replacement at no extra cost, conditions apply.

At our reference scenario (a full-time remote legal assistant (40 hrs/wk)): $1,600 (full-time monthly price). Minimum: Not stated. Contract: Not stated. Setup: No recruitment, access or setup fees.

Where Virtual Latinos is the wrong choice: You need a legal-trained hire without doing the legal screening yourself.

Full Virtual Latinos review → · Source: pricing page ↗

4. VirtualStaffing.com — From $2,227/month

Full-time English/Spanish legal staff with a published monthly price per role.

What it publishes:

  • Full-time staff 'starting at $12/hr' with monthly prices per role.
  • Legal Assistant $2,227/month, Paralegal $2,922, Intake Specialist $2,227, Case Manager $2,525, Remote Attorney $3,323, Demand Writer $2,997, Document Collector $2,227, Lien Negotiator $2,922.
  • Every listed role is shown as English and Spanish.

At our reference scenario (a full-time remote legal assistant (40 hrs/wk)): $2,227 (full-time monthly price). Minimum: Full-time. Contract: Not stated on the services page. Setup: Not stated.

Where VirtualStaffing.com is the wrong choice: You need fewer than 40 hours a week, or written contract and replacement terms up front.

Full VirtualStaffing.com review → · Source: pricing page ↗

6. Get Staffed Up — From $2,145/month

Full-time remote staff for law firms from Latin America and South Africa; GSU is the employer of record.

Get Staffed Up is the employer-of-record option: it employs the assistant, handles payroll and HR, and charges a fixed monthly fee per role ($2,545 for a legal assistant, +$200 for English/Spanish). Recruits from Latin America and South Africa.

What it publishes:

  • Legal Assistant $2,545/month (+$200 for English/Spanish), Intake Specialist $2,395 (+$150), Receptionist $2,145 (+$150), Executive Assistant $2,245 (+$150), Client Happiness Coordinator $2,245, Billing Assistant $2,145, Marketing Assistant $2,645.
  • Staff are recruited from Latin America and South Africa and dedicated to one firm full-time.
  • Agreements are month-to-month with 30 days' notice; GSU handles payroll, taxes and HR as the employer.
  • Staffers work on dedicated virtual machines, which the company presents as its data-protection measure.

At our reference scenario (a full-time remote legal assistant (40 hrs/wk)): $2,545 (full-time monthly price). Minimum: Full-time placement (a part-time option is mentioned on request). Contract: Month-to-month with 30 days' notice. Setup: Not stated on the pricing page.

Where Get Staffed Up is the wrong choice: You want part-time hours at a published rate, or a paralegal-level hire rather than an assistant.

Full Get Staffed Up review → · Source: pricing page ↗

7. Stealth Agents — From $1,600/month

Full-time Philippine executive assistants (160 hours/month) with a one-time onboarding fee.

What it publishes:

  • Core VA $1,600/month, Senior EA $2,400, Operations/Project Manager $3,000, each 160 hours/month.
  • A one-time onboarding fee applies.

At our reference scenario (a full-time remote legal assistant (40 hrs/wk)): $1,600 (full-time monthly price). Minimum: Full-time, 160 hours/month. Contract: No contracts stated. Setup: One-time onboarding fee (amount not published).

Where Stealth Agents is the wrong choice: You want legal-trained staff or Spanish speakers.

Full Stealth Agents review → · Source: pricing page ↗

8. Wyzer Staffing — Role-based rates published

Legal staffing with separate part-time and full-time rates per role.

What it publishes:

  • Publishes part-time and full-time rates by role on its pricing page; its site blocked our automated check on 11 November 2026, so rates are not reproduced here.

At our reference scenario (a full-time remote legal assistant (40 hrs/wk)): On request (no public price for this role). Minimum: Part-time and full-time. Contract: See pricing page. Setup: See pricing page.

Where Wyzer Staffing is the wrong choice: You want a rate we have independently verified this month.

Full Wyzer Staffing review → · Source: pricing page ↗

9. Wishup — From $999/month (4 hrs/day)

General virtual assistants from India with a legal industry page; US-based tier costs more.

What it publishes:

  • Prime VA $999/month for 4 hours a day or $1,999/month for 8 hours a day; Elite VA $2,999 (8 hours); US-based VA $5,400/month.
  • Its FAQ notes Indian VAs do not make cold calls; US-based VAs can.

At our reference scenario (a full-time remote legal assistant (40 hrs/wk)): $1,999 (full-time monthly price). Minimum: 4 hours/day. Contract: Cancel anytime. Setup: Not stated.

Where Wishup is the wrong choice: You need phone intake or Spanish-speaking clients handled.

Full Wishup review → · Source: pricing page ↗

10. Zirtual Paralegals — From $549/month (10 hours)

US-based paralegals and legal assistants on hour-bundle subscriptions.

Zirtual is the US-based route: legal assistants in monthly hour bundles from 10 hours ($549). Expensive per hour, but no time-zone or residency questions.

What it publishes:

  • Virtual paralegals: 10 hours $649/month, 20 hours $1,269, 40 hours $2,499, 80 hours $4,729.
  • Virtual legal assistants: 10 hours $549/month, 20 hours $1,059, 40 hours $2,049, 80 hours $3,999.
  • Professionals are US-based independent legal professionals working under the firm's direction.

At our reference scenario (a full-time remote legal assistant (40 hrs/wk)): $8,664 (pro-rated above the 80-hour bundle). Minimum: 10 hours/month. Contract: Monthly subscription. Setup: Not stated.

Where Zirtual Paralegals is the wrong choice: You need 30+ hours a week, where offshore full-time staff cost a fraction of the bundle price.

Full Zirtual Paralegals review → · Source: pricing page ↗

11. Back Office Betties — From $338/month (answering) · $886/month (assistant)

US-based, legal-trained receptionists and virtual legal assistants for small firms.

Back Office Betties offers US-based legal-trained assistants in 20–60 hour monthly plans ($886–$2,860).

What it publishes:

  • Answering plans: 100 minutes $338–$375/month, 200 minutes $630–$700, 400 minutes $1,179–$1,310, 500 minutes $1,364–$1,515 (lower figure with yearly billing).
  • Virtual legal assistant plans: 20 hours $886–$1,025/month, 40 hours $1,661–$1,950, 60 hours $2,325–$2,860.
  • All plans start with a $399 one-time onboarding covering 100 minutes or 30 days.
  • Receptionists are US-based and legal-trained.

At our reference scenario (a full-time remote legal assistant (40 hrs/wk)): $6,717 (pro-rated above the 60-hour bundle). Minimum: 20 hours/month (assistant) or 100 minutes (answering). Contract: Monthly or yearly billing. Setup: $399 one-time 30-day onboarding.

Where Back Office Betties is the wrong choice: Budget is the deciding factor, or you need Spanish-language answering as standard.

Full Back Office Betties review → · Source: pricing page ↗

Side by side

Every provider on one table, from their own pages checked 11 November 2026.

ProviderPublished priceModelMinimumContractTeamHoursSpanishScore /60
HireParalegalsFrom $8/hourHourly, dedicatedPart-time or full-time; hire for the hours you needMonthly rolling engagementLatin AmericaUS hoursYes54
Virtual Legal AssistantsFrom $8/hourHourly, dedicatedSchedule agreed per hireMonthly rolling engagementLatin AmericaUS hoursYes49
Virtual LatinosFrom about $1,600/monthMonthly, full-timeNot statedNot statedLatin AmericaUS hoursYes46
VirtualStaffing.comFrom $2,227/monthMonthly, full-timeFull-timeNot stated on the services pageLatin AmericaUS hoursYes44
Legal SoftFrom $10/hourHourly, dedicatedFull-time only (40 hours/week)Month-to-monthOffshore (not specified)US hoursNot stated43
Get Staffed UpFrom $2,145/monthMonthly, full-timeFull-time placement (a part-time option is mentioned on request)Month-to-month with 30 days' noticeLatin America & South AfricaUS hoursAdd-on42
Stealth AgentsFrom $1,600/monthMonthly, full-timeFull-time, 160 hours/monthNo contracts statedPhilippinesUS hoursNot stated39
Wyzer StaffingRole-based rates publishedQuote onlyPart-time and full-timeSee pricing pageLatin AmericaUS hoursAdd-on39
WishupFrom $999/month (4 hrs/day)Monthly, full-time4 hours/dayCancel anytimeIndia (US-based tier available)US hoursNot stated36
Zirtual ParalegalsFrom $549/month (10 hours)Hour bundles10 hours/monthMonthly subscriptionUnited StatesUS hoursNot stated35
Back Office BettiesFrom $338/month (answering) · $886/month (assistant)Hour bundles20 hours/month (assistant) or 100 minutes (answering)Monthly or yearly billingUnited StatesUS hoursNot stated35

Frequently asked questions

Where can a law firm hire a remote legal assistant?
Through legal staffing platforms (HireParalegals, Virtual Legal Assistants), employer-of-record agencies (Get Staffed Up, VirtualStaffing.com), generalist VA companies (Virtual Latinos, Wishup, Stealth Agents) or US hour-bundle providers (Zirtual, Back Office Betties).
How much does a remote legal assistant cost?
From published prices on 11 November 2026: from $8/hour from Latin America (HireParalegals, Virtual Legal Assistants), about $1,387/month full-time; $2,227–$2,545/month through employer-of-record agencies; about $39–$65/hour for US-based hour bundles.
Can a remote legal assistant work US hours?
Yes. Latin American assistants work US hours with little or no time-zone shift. Philippine and Indian assistants can work US hours on night shifts; Wishup notes partial overlap.
Is it legal to hire a remote legal assistant outside the US?
Generally yes, as a non-lawyer under attorney supervision. Through a platform or employer of record, the provider handles local employment obligations. Hiring directly, you take those on yourself.
Do remote legal assistants speak Spanish?
Most Latin American hires do: standard at HireParalegals, Virtual Legal Assistants and VirtualStaffing.com; +$200/month at Get Staffed Up.
Is this site for job seekers?
No, it's for law firms hiring. Job seekers can apply through the providers' careers pages; see 'Looking for remote legal assistant work?' above.
Why is HireParalegals ranked first?
Lowest published rate for a legally experienced remote assistant on US hours, part-time allowed. Sort by 'Highest score' to see the order the scores alone produce.