A working tool, not a reading list. Copy it for each new hire, assign an owner and a real date to every line, and check items off as they're done. In a solo or small firm one person may own several columns — that's fine; the point is that every line has a named owner. The reference cards at the end give you the specifics: a naming convention you can adopt as-is, a worked deadline calculation, the do/don't limits on paralegal work, an escalation matrix, and a scope template.
Preboarding — before Day One
| Done | Task | Owner | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Send the welcome emailStart date, arrival time, building/parking access, dress code, the first-week schedule, and who to ask for on arrival. | HR / office mgr | T-7 days | |
| Draft the 30-day scope of workOne page is fine. Use the scope template below so priorities are on paper before Day One. | Supervising atty | T-5 days | |
| Prepare the paperwork packet for e-signatureW-4, I-9, direct deposit, benefits enrollment, handbook acknowledgment, confidentiality agreement, data-security policy, ethics policy. | HR | T-5 days | |
| Provision and test every loginFirm email, phone, network, printer/scanner, VPN/MFA, case management (matter + calendar + document permissions), time & billing, document management system, conflicts database, e-signature, secure client portal. | IT / ops | T-2 days | |
| Set up e-filing accessPACER and CM/ECF for federal matters; register on each state/county e-filing portal the firm uses. Confirm the paralegal is added under the firm's filer account, not a personal one. | IT / docketing | T-2 days | |
| Actually log in to each systemClick through every credential at the login screen. A login that looks provisioned but fails on arrival is the most common Day One time-sink. | IT | T-1 day |
Day One — paperwork, ethics, and access
| Done | Task | Owner | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finish and collect signed paperworkAnything not e-signed in advance: employment, tax, direct deposit, handbook, confidentiality. | HR | EOD 1 | |
| Cover ethics, UPL limits, and privilegeWalk through the UPL do/don't card below, confidentiality, attorney-client privilege, and conflict-check duties before any client file is opened. | Supervising atty | EOD 1 | |
| Cover trust-account and file-security basicsHow client/trust (IOLTA) funds are handled and the paralegal's limited role; where client files live, who has access, and the naming convention. | Firm admin | EOD 1 | |
| Set communication rulesWhich channel for urgent vs. routine, expected email turnaround, how client calls are handled, and what to do when two attorneys assign work at once. | Office mgr | EOD 1 | |
| Confirm every login live, with MFASign in together to email, case management, billing, and the document system; set a personal password; verify MFA is on. | IT | EOD 1 |
Days 2–3 — matters, calendaring, and daily workflow
| Done | Task | Owner | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train on the case management systemOrient them to the platform where the firm runs matters, calendaring, tasks, documents, and time in one place (such as The Legal Assistant): finding and opening a matter, where the calendar and deadlines live, how tasks are assigned and tracked, and where documents attach. This is the hub the rest of the week's work runs through. | Lead paralegal | EOD 2 | |
| Run a conflict check, then open a matterPractice on a real intake: search the conflicts database, document the result, and only then open the matter. Make the order non-negotiable. | Lead paralegal | EOD 2 | |
| Train on file structure and namingWhere e-files live, shared-drive layout, paper handling, version control, Bates numbering, redactions, and where privileged material is segregated. Adopt the naming convention below. | Lead paralegal | EOD 2 | |
| Teach deadline computation, not just entryWhich rules apply (FRCP 6 federal; state computation rules otherwise), counting from the triggering event, weekend/holiday roll-forward, and service-method add-ons. Work the example in the card below together. | Docketing lead | EOD 3 | |
| Enter deadlines and set the double-checkCourt dates, filing and service deadlines, SOL/tickler dates, internal milestones. State who reviews an entry before it's final and what to do when a date looks wrong. | Docketing lead | EOD 3 | |
| Generate a document from a templateHave them produce one real document from the template library and save it to the correct matter with the correct name. | Lead paralegal | EOD 3 | |
| Cover time entryRecord as work happens in 0.1-hour (six-minute) increments; make the billable/non-billable line explicit with examples. | Billing mgr | EOD 3 |
Days 4–5 — supervised work and review
| Done | Task | Owner | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set expectations and 2–3 week-one goalsCommunication and turnaround expectations that fit your caseload, drafting preferences (template, caption, exhibit format) captured in a notes file, and the escalation matrix below. Tie goals to the 30-day scope. | Supervising atty | AM Day 4 | |
| Assign the first real tasksLow-risk and concrete: draft a demand letter or retainer from a template; enter matter details; organize a discovery folder with correct naming; log incoming mail; prepare a case-status update. Each with an owner, reviewer, due date, and tracking location. | Supervising atty | Day 4 | |
| Review the first work against the self-checkRun every deliverable through the pre-handoff self-check card before it reaches the attorney. | Lead paralegal | Day 5 | |
| Hold the end-of-week debriefWhat got done, what access/training is still missing, open questions, week-two priorities. Confirm one visible deliverable is finished and all onboarding documents are archived securely. | Supervisor + HR | EOD 5 | |
| Update the onboarding recordLog completed items, carry forward anything open, and flag deadlines the new hire now owns. | Onboarding owner | EOD 5 |
Reference cards
File-naming convention (adopt or adapt)
Pattern: MatterID_ClientLast_TypeCode_Description_YYYY-MM-DD_v##
Example: 2026-0417_Nguyen_PLDG_Complaint_2026-03-09_v03.docx
Type codes:
PLDG— pleadingsDISC— discoveryCORR— correspondenceCONT— contracts/agreements
MEMO— internal memo/researchMED— medical recordsFIN— invoices/financialsADMIN— intake/engagement
Rule: date is document date in ISO format so files sort chronologically; version number always two digits; final signed versions get _FINAL in place of the version.
Worked deadline calculation (FRCP 6)
Federal written discovery gets a 30-day response (Rules 33, 34, 36). Counting under Rule 6(a):
- Interrogatories served Friday, March 6, 2026.
- Exclude the day of service. Count 30 calendar days, weekends and holidays included → Sunday, April 5, 2026.
- The last day is a Sunday, so the deadline rolls forward to the next non-weekend, non-holiday day → Monday, April 6, 2026.
Deadline: Mon 04/06/2026
Service method matters: service by mail adds 3 calendar days under Rule 6(d); electronic service through CM/ECF does not (the 3-day allowance for e-service was removed in 2016). Always confirm the local court's holiday calendar before finalizing. State deadlines use the state's own counting rules — do not assume they match the federal method. The method is what transfers to state practice: identify the rule, count from the triggering event, apply that jurisdiction's weekend/holiday roll, then have someone verify it.
Common federal response windows
| Event | Window | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Answer a complaint (personal service) | 21 days | Rule 12(a) |
| Answer after waiving service | 60 days | Rule 4(d) |
| Respond to interrogatories | 30 days | Rule 33(b) |
| Respond to requests for production | 30 days | Rule 34(b) |
| Respond to requests for admission | 30 days | Rule 36(a) |
Federal defaults only, and some shift when served with the complaint. Verify against the governing rules and any scheduling order for the specific matter.
Paralegal scope — the do/don't line (UPL)
May do, under attorney supervision
- Interview clients and witnesses for facts
- Draft documents for attorney review
- Conduct legal research
- Organize, manage, and summarize files
- File and serve documents
- Relay factual case status to clients
- Prepare for hearings, closings, and trial
May not do
- Give legal advice to a client
- Establish the attorney-client relationship
- Set or quote legal fees
- Accept or decline a case
- Appear or represent a client in court
- Sign pleadings or documents as counsel
- Negotiate settlement terms on their own authority
General guidance. UPL rules are set by each state and a few draw the lines differently — confirm against your jurisdiction's rules and your state bar's paralegal guidelines.
30-day scope of work — fill in before Day One
- Primary matters/practice area the hire will support:
- Systems they must be fluent in by day 30:
- Recurring tasks they will own:
- Tasks that stay attorney-only for now:
- Two or three measurable week-one goals:
- What "up to speed" looks like at 30 days:
Escalation matrix
| Situation | Contact first | When |
|---|---|---|
| A calendared deadline looks wrong or at risk | Immediately | |
| Two attorneys assign conflicting priorities | Same day | |
| Possible conflict of interest surfaces | Before any further work | |
| Client asks for legal advice | Before responding | |
| System access broken / data-security concern | Immediately |
Pre-handoff self-check (run before work reaches an attorney)
| Correct matter and client | |
| File named to the firm's convention | |
| Deadlines calculated and entered, double-checked | |
| Cited rules/dates verified against source | |
| Privileged/confidential material handled correctly | |
| Time entered | |
| Formatting matches the firm standard |
This checklist is a practice-management template, not legal advice. Rule citations are to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and are current defaults that can change; deadlines, UPL limits, and trust-accounting duties vary by jurisdiction. Verify every rule and date against the governing authority and your firm's own policies before relying on it.