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General virtual assistant agencies place assistants who support many kinds of businesses. Immigration work is different: USCIS forms, petition packets, RFE responses and clients who need answers in Spanish. Bella provides legal support designed specifically for immigration attorneys.
The short answer
Bella was founded by an immigration attorney and a chief paralegal, and our services are designed specifically for licensed immigration attorneys. Our assistants know the petition types, forms and case management software your firm uses.
Every Bella completes phone and in-office training inside a working immigration law firm before placement, and keeps training as immigration law and procedures change.
Each assistant meets with Bella’s office manager daily, and their work is reviewed before it reaches your attorney.
Side by side
| Bella Legal Assistants | General VA agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Who recruits and vets the assistant | Bella, including background checks | The agency, usually for general admin roles |
| Immigration paralegal experience before they start | Yes: trained hands-on inside a working immigration law firm | Rarely; most assistants support many industries |
| Who trains them on immigration work | Bella, before placement and as the law changes | Usually your firm |
| Who reviews the work before your attorney sees it | Bella's office manager, every day | Usually your attorneys |
| Who the assistant answers to | Bella's office manager, working on your daily assignments | Varies by agency |
| English and Spanish | Every assistant | Varies by assistant |
| Commitment | Month-to-month, or lock your rate for 6 months | Varies by provider |
| Cost | From $12/hour | Varies by provider |
Comparisons describe common arrangements in each category, not any specific company. Providers differ, so ask any provider who trains, supervises and reviews the work.
A fair comparison
For general administrative work outside your legal matters, such as inbox management, bookkeeping or marketing tasks, a general virtual assistant can be a good fit. For calls with immigration clients, document collection and petition preparation, a trained immigration specialist saves your attorneys time.
Tell us about your caseload and we’ll send a plan. English and Spanish legal assistants available.
