National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants "Red Envelope"

The National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants would like to send you our “NSVBA Red Envelope."

What is the NSVBA Red Envelope?

The NSVBA Red Envelope if filled with information about NSVBA, its members, and the VBA industry.  It is a 6x9 envelope which consists of letter openers, business cards, brochures, flyers and pens.

Tell us where to send your NSVBA Red Envelope.

Email Vikki Watanabe directly at vikki@nsvba.com

Do You Need a Virtual Assistant now?

Attorneys: You can find a qualified VBA (Virtual Paralegal, Virtual Legal Assistant) at the NSVBA All Member Directory at: http://nsvba.com/find-a-vba/vba-member-profiles

NSVBA Offers a FREE Referral Source for Attorneys

If you are pressed for time and would prefer to speak to someone at NSVBA, give us a call today. We’re happy to assist.

We can match you up with a qualified VBA (Virtual Paralegal, Virtual Legal Assistant)  to specifically meet your needs.  If you are not satisfied with the referral, let us know, we will work to help you find the “right match”.

Disclaimer: National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants is not an employment agency.

GUEST BLOG POST-Five Essential Considerations When Outsourcing Bankruptcy Support Services

Five Essential Considerations When Outsourcing Bankruptcy Support Services: Finding the “Perfect Fit”

As a paralegal contracting “virtual” legal support services, I am sensitive to the ongoing debate over the pros and cons of outsourced legal support.  At the outset, let me say that I have the utmost respect for those firms that oppose the idea; there are legitimate concerns giving rise to that position. But the virtual legal support relationship can prove such a significant asset that it should not be overlooked in any legal support benefit analysis.

Bankruptcy attorneys are among those in the profession to embrace the benefits of outsourced legal support.  In re Van Dyke, 296 B.R. 591 (Bankr.Mass., 2003) favorably resolved the issue of the appropriateness of reimbursement for fees paid to an outside bankruptcy paralegal for preparing a modified Chapter 13 plan by first making clear the conditions which must be met when attorneys engage paraprofessionals:  The paralegal must be properly trained, experienced, and adequately supervised, can never provide legal advice, and may be delegated work only after the attorney meets with the client and determines the tasks needed to be performed.  And when compensation is sought for those services, the paralegal’s work must be itemized in detail and the fee justified.

Whether prospecting for in-house or outsourced bankruptcy support, the obvious single most important task, then, is to find the right support professional and thereafter to provide adequate supervision and make a detailed record of fees for which compensation may be sought.  But finding the right support professional within the local pool of available applicants can be hugely frustrating, time consuming, and fruitless. Expanding the search to include virtual legal support professionals can increase exponentially the odds of finding the “perfect fit”.

Five essential areas to consider when seeking outsourced bankruptcy support include the following:

• First, identify the level of support needed in relation to the firm's support budget (purely administrative, Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, or specialized Bankruptcy Paralegal); itemize weak areas and look for prospects with the ability to fill the gaps (the perfect fit may fill gaps you didn’t know you had!);
• Next consider the background, education, experience, and professional associations of prospects in relation to the level of support you need;
• Ask for references and samples of work product to support the prospect’s stated skill level;
• Inquire into office automation, technologies, and software to confirm compatibility with your existing systems; and
• Most importantly, query the policies and practices in place to protect and secure the private nature of your clients’ personal and financial information.

If I had in front of me each attorney reading this article, I would ask for a show of hands by those who have ever worked closely with a knowledgeable, experienced, and trusted in-house support professional – that one person on whom you confidently rely to assist you in “dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s”.  The kind of support person who kindly, capably, and efficiently engages with clients to elicit the information needed to assist you in properly presenting their matters, all the while understanding that you, the attorney, are the sole advisor and decision maker.  No micromanagement or over-the-shoulder supervision is required to ensure diligent, focused, and dedicated efforts and top-quality, reliable work product.  And with a firm grasp of local procedure and a sufficient understanding of relevant law, there is fostered between you confident dialogue and exchanges of suggestions and brainstorms as unique situations arise.

Those of you have had the pleasure of this kind of working relationship understand the confidence and relief that comes with the involvement of knowledgeable, experienced, and trusted legal support.

Now, put those professionals in a satellite office and consider for a moment just how their “virtual” contributions could and would continue to prove them viable and integral members of your legal teams . . . it can and does work.

Outsourcing, of course, is not for every firm but for those attorneys and legal support professionals who reach out and find that virtual perfect fit – one comprised of mutual respect, appreciation, and trust – the rewards are tangible and ongoing and the relationships dynamic and successful.

Jeannie Lynch
Paralegal-Owner, Lynch Legal Support
Specialized Bankruptcy Paralegal Support
http://www.lynchlegalsupport.com

Director of Paralegal Studies,King Bankruptcy Academy
http://www.bankruptcyacademy.com

Advisory Council Member, National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants
http://www.nsvba.com

The Proper Role of Your Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant

Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants have been around for awhile. Some, before the bankruptcy law changed in 2005, others, at the time the law changed due to the high volume of cases being filed before and after the law changed.

Were you aware there is a proper role for the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant?

Well, there is. Some attorneys (not to mention a few VBA’s) believe a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant can train an attorney in the practice of bankruptcy. Because of this misconception and other reasons; I feel it is important to discuss the proper role of your Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant.

If a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant offers to train you, the attorney; immediately run in the opposite direction. VBA’s cannot and should not train attorneys. This is improper and dangerous. When it comes to your bankruptcy practice and license, don’t cut corners.

Morgan King, Esq. http://morganking.com/academyfolder/indexacademy.html
and
Cathy Moran http://www.bankruptcymastery.com offer excellent training for attorneys and are the only source attorneys should be using.

Bankruptcy is not something an attorney can have a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant, Legal Assistant or Paralegal do for them in total. The attorney must have a command for bankruptcy law. This is not filling out a few simple forms. There is nothing “simple” or “easy” about bankruptcy.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s move on. We’ll discuss the proper role of the Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant (Legal Assistant, Virtual Paralegal) as it relates to the members of NSVBA.

First, you want to meet with the NSVBA member and discuss your current needs and assignments. The NSVBA member will send you a Service Agreement at which time you will review and sign so work can begin.

If you have several cases you which require immediate preparation, the NSVBA member can get started on those cases first.

After you have met with your Client, the NSVBA member can pick up the case from there.

This is another misconception I must put to rest. NSVBA members cannot meet with your Client without meeting with you first. NSVBA members cannot qualify your Client. NSVBA members cannot “help” you qualify your Client. NSVBA members are not a substitute for legal counsel. Don’t risk your license.

Time and again, I have attorneys call me and ask me if I can call and qualify Clients on their behalf. I refused. I lost a few assignments, but I know for a fact there is someone out there who will do this for them.

When the attorney hands over the case summary to the NSVBA member, the NSVBA member will correspond with your Client to gather documents and information. All work is done under the direct supervision of the attorney.

Your Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant will prepare the petition ready for your review and approval.

NSVBA members are trained in bankruptcy case work and basic bankruptcy law and procedure.

NSVBA members notify the attorney if a case should be a 7 and not a 13 or vice versa if; after gathering documents and information the situation changes (because we all know Debtors do not always disclose all their information at the Initial Consultation!). Under no circumstances does the NSVBA member discuss any changes to the case with the Client. All information is given directly to the attorney and the attorney then discusses the change with the Client.

If you’re new to the practice of bankruptcy law then you may not have a full complement of forms and checklists. NSVBA members will gladly share theirs with you, and they can be helpful in getting the administrative portion of a practice up and running. But these are forms only, not substantive educational documents.

NSVBA members cannot take the ECF Training for you. The members of the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC cannot and do not offer this service. There are many non NSVBA members out there who do. Again, don’t risk your license.

Any legitimate, successful VBA and the attorneys they work with will tell you that Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants work well when their services are utilized properly.

So the upshot is this – don’t make the assumption that outsourcing bankruptcy case work is tantamount to offloading your legal and ethic responsibilities to your client and your practice. You’ve got to be well-versed and trained in the field of bankruptcy law in order to do a good job for your clients. The ethical and proper role for the VBA is to support you in your efforts.

Vist the All Member Profiles at the NSVBA website:
http://nsvba.com/find-a-vba/vba-member-profiles

Visit the NSVBA Exhibit Table at the Sacramento Valley Bankruptcy Conference, March 23 and 24, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento.
http://sacvalleybf.org/2012conf.htm


Vikki Watanabe and the Members of the
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC

AMY UNDERWOOD - IRVINE, CA

NB PETITIONS

http://www.nbpetitions.com/

NB Petitions is celebrating five years this spring in serving its consumer bankruptcy attorney clients.  Located in Orange County, CA the business specializes in preparing chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy petitions on a contract basis to its attorney clients based all over Southern California and has served other clients in parts of the US, from Florida to Virginia and Ohio.

Venturing into a new business always has its challenges however the experience has proved to be well worth the time, finances, and learning curves.  Amy Underwood, the sole proprietor of the business is reveling in creating a few new business ideas in order to expand its client base and services.

Due to the demand, the business plans on expanding its services to provide the drafting of pleadings and motions to its current and new clients this year.  Bankruptcy attorneys often find themselves in need of these services as well and NB Petitions will help support those needs.

NB Petitions is very grateful for the continued business relationships with their attorney clients and would like to thank them for utilizing their services. They are also very thankful to NSVBA for their marketing support for all five years and the mentors that have helped NB Petitions create an ongoing and satisfied client base.

Amy Underwood
National Bankruptcy Petitions
P.O. Box 16784
Irvine, CA 92623
760-413-7409-Telephone
949-417-2650-FAX

ATTORNEYS: Visit the NSVBA Exhibit Table at the upcoming Sacramento Valley Bankruptcy Conference in Sacramento, CA; March 23rd and 24th at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento.

Meet the Members of National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC

Who are the members of the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC?

Here is a list of our members state by state (in no particular order):

OREGON –

Julie Horton

WASHINGTON -

Max Novikov

UTAH-

Dave Snow

GEORGIA -

Rashida Sheffield

NEW YORK –

Archna Sharma

Stephen Shalat

NEW JERSEY-

Barbara Lee

Maryam Young

DELAWARE -

Jessica Gingery

VIRGINIA -

Renee R. Hamlett 

COLORADO -

Regina Finstad

ARIZONA -

Judy LaBoda

NEVADA-

Hilary Steward

ALABAMA -

Deana Penland

LOUISIANA -

Michelle Ackman

OHIO -

Jean Scott

Lewis T. Beman

TEXAS -

Veronica Jones

ILLINOIS -

Heather K. Smith

Jessica Breeman

Doris Isbell

FLORIDA -

Solomon Abercrombie

Patrick Donovan Campbell

Jose Ortiz

Evelyn Jacobson

Felisza Nichols

CALIFORNIA -

Warrenetta Lane

Maria Griffin

Peggy Grangetto

Sherri Nash

Dennis Kaczor

Dee Medlin

Gary Ostad

Amy Underwood

Jeannie Lynch

Linda Reichhoff

Betty Gardner

Robert Holzinger

We have Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants (Virtual Bankruptcy Paralegals, Virtual Paralegals, Virtual Legal Assistants) in 18 States. If your particular state is not listed; no problem! Our members prepare petitions for all 50 states.

You can get more information about the NSVBA members by going to http://www.nsvba.com/ and Click on "All Member Profiles".

Until next time!

Vikki Watanabe
President and the Members of the
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC
2100 C West Redondo Beach Blvd., #34
Torrance, CA 90504

info@nsvba.com

vikki@nsvba.com

866-678-8411

Accountability

When one claims the title of "Industry Leader", one takes on an enormous responsibility.

If you run an organization that includes members, you take on an extraordinary responsibility. Not only do you represent the "industry"; now, your members look to you to represent them. Hopefully, in the best possible light.

Needless to say, relationships become very important. Business and personal.

If the so-called "Industry Leader" behaves in a way that is not professional, everyone within their organization and associated with that "Industry Leader" suffers.

If the so-called "Industry Leader" makes the decision to advise, train, or otherwise encourage its members to extend themselves beyond the scope of their duties crossing that fine line of "UPL" once again, anyone associated with the Industry Leader and the organization suffers.

Not only that, they run the risk of losing their credibility within the industry and with their members.

My feeling is that Industry Leaders do not have the luxury of saying what they want without first considering how their words and actions could affect the industry they represent. One can say they are held to a higher standard.

If one decides they are to be the "Industry Leader", Making claims such as "the only organization that offers their type of service", "no one around is doing what they do"; that "Industry Leader" should carefully consider their actions.

Some will respond by saying, "what the Industry Leader says or does will not affect my Independent business".

If you are part of the organization or associated with an Industry Leader who advertises on the internet as the only game in town, like it or not, you are associated.

Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, Virtual Paralegals, Freelance Bankruptcy Assistants, have worked very hard to get where they're at. Specifically, the members of the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC.

The members of NSVBA, LLC are ethical, responsible, and run legitimate businesses.

The members of NSVBA, LLC understand they do not run the attorneys law firm, they assist. When and if an attorney has a question about "bankruptcy law" and that slippery slope of UPL, the VBA directs the attorney to NACBA and Cathy Moran, Esq.

As a regular Exhibitor at the Northern California Bankruptcy Conference, National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees Convention and NACBA Conventions; National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC has always referred our new attorneys to NACBA, Jay Fleischman, Esq., Morgan King, Esq., and Cathy Moran, Esq., experts in the bankruptcy industry.

To learn more about the VBA industry and the members of NSVBA, LLC visit our Exhibit Table at the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees Convention in beautiful Southern California August 3-6, 2011.


Vikki Watanabe and the Members of the
National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC
www.nsvba.com
866-678-8411

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant?
A VBA (Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant) is an Independent Contractor who works with Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys providing Chapter 7, 11 & 13 case support and petition preparation.

How much does it cost to start-up a VBA business?
Like any other business venture, the cost of doing business is driven by your own budget. Key costs to operate this business involve hardware (computer systems utilizing current technology), software, training, secure e-services, internet connection, phone, web presence, and marketing, marketing, marketing.

How quickly can I begin to make money?
Like any other business venture, your return-on-investment will not be immediate – regardless of what you hear anyplace else. This is not a get-rich-quick venture and if it was don’t you think everyone would be doing it?? As a small business owner/operator your time, level of commitment, and budget will determine how quickly you make money.

What are the requirements to be a VBA?
You are running (or starting) a Virtual business. NSVBA requires their VBA members who are new to the industry must have a high level of technical experience and know-how. After all, we are talking about ‘virtual services’ which relies exclusively on the internet and SaaS services. In addition, NSVBA will require VBA members who are new to the industry to complete required basic training which is included in NSVBA membership. Each member must set up a Secured Home Office environment, set up a Web presence and continue their education through King Bankruptcy Academy.

Seasoned and experienced VBA’s who are members or are looking to join, are encouraged to provide feedback and support to those who are less experienced. NSVBA members pride themselves in supporting and maintaining a cohesive, professional, and collaborative environment.

What is the NSVBA (National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants)?
NSVBA is a national member organization of Independent Contractors which include Freelance Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Certified Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, Legal Secretaries and other seasoned professionals from various backgrounds.

Can I make a lot of money doing this?
Although, we would all like to make “a lot of money”; one has to keep in mind, this is a legitimate career path. It is also a “business”. It takes time and money.

Again, this is not a get-rich-quick scheme. As a small business owner/operator your time, level of commitment, and budget will determine how quickly you make money. The number of attorney clients and the quality of the services you deliver will determine how much money you can make.

Do I need a legal background?
No. But as with any career, education is important. Contrary to popular belief, you cannot learn this career in one weekend.

What other training is available if I do have a legal background but no experience with bankruptcy?
NSVBA has partnered with King Bankruptcy Academy to offer a discount to NSVBA members. NSVBA members who complete their beginning petition preparation training are encouraged to continue with King Bankruptcy Academy.

Is NSVBA an employment agency? Will NSVBA help me find work?
No. NSVBA is not an employment agency. As an Independent Contractor and business owner/operator, each member is responsible for marketing their own business. NSVBA is the only organization of its kind to be an invited NACBA Annual Convention Exhibitor since 2009. While at the Convention, NSVBA markets its members directly to consumer bankruptcy attorneys.

I just got a call from my first attorney; but, I’m not ready. What do I do?
If you have not completed your training, or do not have your home office set up and an attorney calls, please refer the attorney back to NSVBA. NSVBA offers attorneys a FREE referral source to find a qualified VBA within the membership.

NSVBA members pride themselves in supporting fellow members who need assistance. If you are not ready to take a case, for any reason, you should refer the attorney to another member VBA who is in a position to complete the work. Members have referred attorney clients to other members for many reasons such as availability, preferred bankruptcy software, and back-up support while out on vacation.

I don’t want to refer the attorney back to NSVBA. This is a potential client for me.
NSVBA members pride themselves in supporting fellow members who need assistance. NSVBA membership is not cut-throat or competitive – this kind of behavior is simply not allowed. As a member, you indirectly represent NSVBA through your membership affiliation.

Why can’t NSVBA help me through my first petition so I can keep my first contract?
NSVBA will help every member (new and seasoned) through their first petition. Completing beginning petition preparation and preparing mock petitions will not prepare you for the “real deal”. You will need help. That being said, you must first complete the training and all the requirements.

I don’t have the money to purchase my software (Best Case). Can I ask the attorney to “front” me the money?
No. You are an Independent Contractor. Part of starting a business is having a budget. Unless you’re working with an attorney who uses a different bankruptcy software which licenses attorneys only, can you begin to work immediately.

SUMMARY

The National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC, is a professional organization for Virtual and On-Site Bankruptcy Assistants located in the United States. Established in 2008 and incorporated in 2009, NSVBA exists to promote, educate, market, and support its membership in the field of consumer bankruptcy petition preparation and to be a valued resource for attorneys seeking the services of a qualified VBA. NSVBA continues to cultivate partnerships with other service-centric organizations and remains the only Virtual Bankruptcy Association or Organization of its kind to be an invited NACBA Exhibitor since 2009.