| Frequently
Asked Questions
Aretha
Gaskin
When was your
business established?
What is your background?
What if I'm not in the legal field?
[Press
Release]
What if I need business services outside your
menu list?
Where are you located?
What are your hours?
What is your preferred mode of communication?
What are your fees and payment requirements?
How do you approach your job?
Do you maintain any professional affiliations?
Do you have a business philosophy?
Do you do on site work?
When was your business established?
“I founded The Virtual
Legal Assistant, Inc. in 2006 to meet the secretarial
needs of the business community (legal and non-legal) looking
for new and efficient means of managing today’s rapidly
changing office environment.
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What is your background?
I have worked as a legal support professional at some of New York
City’s largest corporate law firms, and in the process have
gained considerable experience handling the needs and maintaining
the standards of productivity the successful practice demands.
My secretarial skills are excellent and my equipment is state-of-the-art.
(More Info)
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What if I'm not in the legal field?
No problem. At the beginning of 2007, my virtual practice expanded
to accommodate the wide spectrum of non-legal professionals. (Press
Release)
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What if I need business services outside
your menu list?
It depends. If the assignment is within the realm of my capabilities
and the capabilities of my office, I will do my best to accommodate
you. In the event that I’m unable to accommodate you, I’ll
be happy to refer you to one of my VA colleagues with services
that better match your needs.
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Where
are you located?
My headquarters are in Plainfield, New Jersey, USA.
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What are your hours?
-
My normal business hours are Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 6:00
EST. BUT....
-
I am available for extended hours in the event you have an emergency
or an on going case or project that requires unusual hours AND....
-
I am also available for weekend work (with ample notice).
Weekend assignments will be billed at double the hourly
rate.
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What is your preferred
mode of communication?
I prefer to communicate with clients via email. I am (almost always)
on my blackberry, so email works best for me. I’m most productive
when I’m not on the telephone. This also allows me
to be flexible (within reason) in accommodating the needs and
requests of my clients.
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What are your fees and payment requirements?
Please see the Service Package
section of my site for a break-down of packages. You may speak
with me directly about prices. But in short:
- A
Retainer Agreement is required for the Personal Assistant Package.
Clients get unlimited monthly hours with this package.
-
All payments must clear your financial institution before work
begin.
-
Hourly clients must book a minimum of 5 hours to use the hourly
plan.
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How do you approach your job?
-
I consider myself an extension of your practice, so I’m
always professional and extremely detailed oriented. I prefer
to spend less time on the telephone and more time working
on your projects/assignments. As I mentioned before, I’m
always on my Blackberry so I’m almost always reachable
(during business hours, of course).
- I
make it a point to return calls within a reasonable timeframe
(2 hours) and if I’m going to be away from my office,
I’ll let you know by email and voice mail when I’ll
be away and when I’ll be back.
-
In an industry where differences among competitors can often
blur, I feel that my real distinction will be the quality of
my services and the relationships formed with my clients. I
am committed to meeting and exceeding your expectations, constantly
building on valued relationships and establishing new ones.
-
I believe in communication, so I'll be calling or emailing with
regular updates on your projects.
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Do you maintain any professional
affiliations?
I am active in several trade industry associations and every organization
I support with my membership provides important business leadership
to the community and vigorously promotes high ethical standards
for doing business. Here is a list of my current business memberships:
- International
Virtual Assistance Association (IVAA)
- National
Association of Female Executives (NAFE)
-
National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)
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Do you have a business philosophy?
-
I am honest and forthright in both my personal
and professional life.
-
I am respectful of others.
-
Since life is not always black and white, I believe one should
sometimes make room for the often “gray” areas.
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Do you do on site work?
No, I do not do on-site work. I’m truly virtual.
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