Backoffice
For 1 year, I worked in a back-office position at Summit Law Partners PC. This law firm provided lifeline representation and managed personalized solutions to provide debt relief by negotiating debt, determining the best strategy for fighting back against litigation, defending your rights, and taking action against debt collectors who make harassing calls, threats, or abusive communications.
Creditor’s communication and document control: Clients may not always send legal documents or creditors’ communication. The respective case managers, legal team, or any other department will request different documents from the clients. It was our responsibility and main task to know how to identify each document, upload it to the file, and follow the note protocols.
Analyse and comprehend basic concerns of services from the client to provide the best answer or seek the best outcome: The emails I received weren't solely about obtaining documents; my role also included answering client questions, handling requests, and providing updates via email if clients preferred that method of communication over phone calls. Additionally, the back office managed cancellations and related procedures.
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The summons was one of the primary legal documents we received, as this was the former citation the clients received ordering them to appear in court. Summons hearings typically occur in the early stages of a legal case, whether it's a criminal, civil, or traffic-related matter.
I was in charge of:
Ensured accurate data entry, scheduling, and internal communication: The different departments maintained ongoing communication with the back office to facilitate the smooth processing of documents and information. This included delivering specific messages or documents to clients. As a result, we received requests through our internal communication channels to send emails or documents to clients. Additionally, we confirmed the receipt of emails from certain clients with whom the agent was scheduled to communicate.
Clients frequently reached out to us to relay messages to specific departments, their assigned case managers, or attorneys. These messages typically included details about the days and times when the clients were available for a call. It was our responsibility to coordinate these calls between the clients and the departments.
Upon receiving any document or email, we had to confirm that all the information belonged to the correct client to prevent confusion or the dissemination of sensitive information about our clients.
Assisted with payment modifications or rescheduling in case of delays on the payments caused by insufficient funds: Everyone faces payment challenges at some point, and our clients are no exception. Occasionally, they have difficulty making their payments on time. When this happens, clients reach out to us via email or text to adjust their payment plans. In some cases, if clients fail to inform us of their payment issues, the system registers insufficient funds. In those instances, we need to contact the client to schedule the earliest possible payment date, provided they meet the company’s requirements for modifying their payment schedule.
Maintained legal documents and audit case files, & Provided administrative and operational support to the attorney and legal department: Every day, we received a variety of legal documents from clients after they had been served. These included summonses/hearings/citations, garnishments, judgments, and affidavits, among others. My job was to identify these documents, ensure that all necessary documentation was included and clear, and then upload them to the client's file in the CRM system. I also followed the established protocol for handling each document type.
Before uploading any document, it was essential to conduct a thorough audit of each client's file to ensure everything was in order. This included verifying the following:
- All payments were up to date.
- Any updates in communication from case managers were noted.
- All documents sent for client signatures were current and properly signed.
- There were no specific client communication preferences that needed to be honored.
- The client's status was accurate, and there was no risk of cancellation or if they were already cancelled.
This thorough review process helped ensure that every aspect of the client's file was managed correctly.
Coordinated communication between departments facilitated a smooth workflow and client service. Every department was connected to another, and all communication needed to be clear and shared efficiently to prevent clients from repeating themselves and causing frustration. One of my primary tasks was to ensure that every email or message received by the client was documented in our CRM system or forwarded directly to a specific agent for improved assistance.
Achievements:
Increased Volume of Completed Emails in a Legal Environment: In my previous roles, I managed emails and text messages, which were typically straightforward due to their problem-solving nature. However, the emails I handled in this position required more analysis and problem-solving due to the protocols involved. This made them less intuitive and more reliant on strict information and guidance from upper management.
Because resolving issues often took time, I received recognition and congratulations for my ability to handle more than 100 emails daily. The firm typically received over a hundred emails each day. It was my efforts that successfully reduced the volume to less than half, and I did so efficiently, accurately, and with minimal errors.
Growth in experience: Much of my work experience before this role had been quite different. Although I had previously handled payments, emails, and messages as a customer service representative at Dig Inn, the tasks I managed there were entirely distinct. My customer service experience had certainly helped me craft effective responses and approaches for clients, but I had never worked with a CRM, rescheduled payments, or been in a legal environment. Additionally, I had no prior experience analysing legal documents. That role was a complete game-changer for me. I had never imagined I would take on anything like that; I thought I would always be confined to basic customer service positions. I have successfully specialised in this new field and am eager to learn more and continue expanding my skills and knowledge.
Hone my skills in visual and detail observation: Analysing and observing details is essential in any job to prevent problems and errors. I have always considered my attention to detail a strength, but my recent role has allowed me to refine it further. I am committed to continuous improvement and eager to learn new techniques to elevate my abilities.
Working in the back office required meticulous analysis of legal documents, emails, and files, as the firm's protocols demanded a high level of accuracy to avoid mistakes, confusion, and frustration. While the process was challenging at first, I gradually learned to anticipate problems by identifying missing information, incorrect data, or discrepancies in internal records through thorough auditing.