Clerical & Paralegal Services on Laymans
Your skills are valuable. Your license matters. Your time is yours.
Paralegals, notaries, process servers, court reporters, legal assistants, and certified specialists - Laymans gives you direct access to clients who need your services. No staffing agency taking cuts. No waiting for law firms to call. Just you, your credentials, and clients ready to pay for professional work.
Whether you're a full-time paralegal looking for side income, a notary building a virtual practice, or a process server expanding your territory - the Laymans marketplace connects you with laypeople and attorneys who need clerical support to move their cases forward.
Step-by-Step Guide
New to offering services online? Follow our guided workflow:
- Earning Money - Set up organization, advertise services, get paid
Why Offer Services on Laymans?
The legal services industry is changing. Laypeople are taking control of their cases - but they still need professional support for tasks that require licensing, certification, or specialized training. That's where you come in.
What makes Laymans different:
| Traditional Approach | Laymans Marketplace |
|---|---|
| Work through staffing agencies (30-50% commission) | Direct client relationships (small platform fee) |
| Wait for law firms to post jobs | Clients browse and purchase your services |
| Limited to local geography | Serve clients virtually across your licensed jurisdictions |
| Hourly billing with invoicing headaches | Transparent pricing with automated payments through Stripe |
| One-off projects with no repeat business | Build reputation through reviews and repeat clients |
The bottom line: You set your rates. You control your schedule. You keep more of what you earn.
What Services Can You Offer?
Laymans supports a wide range of professional clerical and paralegal services - anything that supports legal work but doesn't require bar admission.
Document Services
Document Preparation & Formatting
Prepare court-ready documents from client drafts:
- Format legal pleadings to court standards
- Create exhibits and appendices
- Prepare table of contents and authorities
- Organize multi-document filings
- Convert between document formats (Word, PDF, court e-filing systems)
Who needs this: Pro se litigants with AI-generated drafts, attorneys outsourcing formatting work, individuals preparing contracts or agreements.
Typical pricing: $50-150 per document depending on complexity and page count.
Notarization Services
Provide remote online notarization (RON) or mobile notary services:
- Notarize affidavits, declarations, and sworn statements
- Authenticate signatures on legal documents
- Witness document execution
- Provide notarial certificates
Who needs this: Anyone filing court documents, executing contracts, or submitting sworn statements. Laymans connects you with clients nationwide (if licensed for RON).
Typical pricing: $25-75 per notarization (varies by state regulations and travel for mobile services).
E-Filing Services
Handle electronic court filings:
- File documents in state and federal courts
- Navigate e-filing portals (PACER, state systems)
- Ensure compliance with local rules and formatting requirements
- Track filing confirmations and service certificates
Who needs this: Pro se litigants unfamiliar with court systems, attorneys in unfamiliar jurisdictions, remote practitioners.
Typical pricing: $75-200 per filing depending on jurisdiction complexity.
Investigative & Research Services
Process Serving
Serve legal documents and file proof of service:
- Personal service of summons, complaints, subpoenas
- Substituted service when personal service unavailable
- File declarations/affidavits of service
- Multi-jurisdiction service coordination
Who needs this: Anyone initiating lawsuits, responding to discovery, or enforcing judgments.
Typical pricing: $50-150 per service attempt (varies by location and difficulty).
Public Records Research
Locate and retrieve public records:
- Court docket research
- Property records and title searches
- Business entity filings
- Vital records (birth, death, marriage certificates)
Who needs this: Litigants building cases, attorneys gathering evidence, individuals researching parties or claims.
Typical pricing: $100-300 per research project depending on scope.
Specialized Support Services
Legal Transcription & Court Reporting
Transcribe audio/video recordings or provide live court reporting:
- Deposition transcription
- Hearing and trial transcripts
- Audio/video evidence transcription
- Certified court reporting (if licensed)
Who needs this: Attorneys reviewing recorded testimony, pro se litigants preparing appeals, investigators analyzing evidence.
Typical pricing: $1-3 per audio minute for transcription; $200-500+ for live court reporting.
Medical Record Summaries
Organize and summarize medical records for litigation:
- Chronological medical timelines
- Extract key diagnoses, treatments, and providers
- Highlight inconsistencies or gaps
- Prepare exhibit-ready summaries
Who needs this: Personal injury cases, disability claims, medical malpractice litigation.
Typical pricing: $75-200 per 100 pages of records.
Translation Services
Translate legal documents:
- Court filings and pleadings
- Evidence documents
- Correspondence
- Certified translations (if certified translator)
Who needs this: Cases involving non-English documents, multilingual parties, immigration matters.
Typical pricing: $0.10-0.30 per word depending on language pair and certification requirements.
Expert Witness Services
Provide expert testimony (if qualified in specialty area):
- Forensic accounting
- Medical examination and opinions
- Technical/scientific analysis
- Industry standard practices
Who needs this: Complex litigation requiring specialized knowledge.
Typical pricing: $150-500+ per hour depending on expertise.
Licensing Requirements
Only offer services you're legally qualified to provide. Many clerical services require state-specific licenses, certifications, or registrations:
- Notaries: State commission required
- Process Servers: May require registration or bonding
- Court Reporters: Certification required in most states
- Translators: Certification required for court submissions in many jurisdictions
Always verify your local requirements and stay current on renewals.
How It Works: From Setup to Payment
Step 1: Set Up Your Organization
Create your professional presence on Laymans:
- Register your account - Start Registration
- Set up your organization - How to Setup Your Organization
- Add credentials and licenses - Upload copies of certifications, state licenses, bonds, or insurance
Build Trust Immediately
Verification matters. Clients trust providers who show:
- Active state licenses/certifications (upload current copies)
- Professional liability insurance (if applicable)
- Years of experience in specific services
- Specialization in certain case types (family law, civil litigation, etc.)
Complete profiles with verified credentials get more bookings.
Step 2: List Your Services
Create service listings that clients can browse and purchase:
What to include:
- Service name - Be specific ("Remote Online Notarization - CA" not just "Notary Services")
- Description - What you provide, turnaround time, what clients need to provide
- Pricing - Hourly rate or flat fee with estimated hours
- Geographic limits - States/counties where you're licensed to work
- Service category - Document prep, notarization, process serving, etc.
How pricing works: Laymans uses a quote-based system similar to Uber or TaskRabbit:
- You set an estimated price (e.g., "2 hours at $75/hour = $150")
- Client pays upfront based on your quote
- After completing work, you can adjust the final price up or down
- Client pays adjustments or receives refunds automatically
Learn more: How to Advertise Your Services
Step 3: Clients Find and Purchase Your Services
Your services appear in the Laymans marketplace where:
- Laypeople search for help with their pro se cases
- Attorneys find clerical support for client matters
- Movement organizers book services for multiple members
Clients can:
- Filter by location, service type, and price range
- Read your organization profile and credentials
- Review your ratings and past client feedback
- Add services to cart and purchase instantly
How clients purchase: Purchase Services
Step 4: Receive Notifications and Accept Work
When a client purchases your service:
- Notification - You receive an alert through Laymans
- Review request - Check the client's case details and requirements
- Accept or decline - If you can't fulfill it (outside your expertise, scheduling conflict), decline with explanation
- Update status - Mark service as "in progress" when you begin
Communication: Use Laymans' secure messaging to:
- Request additional documents or information
- Schedule appointments (notarization, depositions)
- Provide status updates
- Deliver completed work
Step 5: Complete Work and Get Paid
- Deliver service - Upload completed documents, file proof of service, provide transcripts, etc.
- Finalize pricing - If actual time differed from estimate, adjust invoice
- Client reviews - Clients can leave feedback (helps build your reputation)
- Get paid - Funds transfer to your account via Stripe
Payment Processing Details
- Upfront payment: Clients pay estimated cost at purchase
- Adjustments: You can request price adjustments for work that took longer/shorter than expected
- Refunds: Clients automatically receive refunds if you reduce the price
- Additional charges: Clients approve any increase over original estimate
- Platform fee: Small transaction fee (competitive with other marketplaces)
- Payout schedule: Funds available for withdrawal after service completion
Build Your Reputation
The Laymans marketplace rewards quality work:
Reviews and Ratings
Every completed service can be reviewed by clients:
- Service-specific ratings: Clients rate individual services (not just your overall organization)
- Detailed feedback: Written reviews explain what worked well or needs improvement
- Verified reviews: Only clients who actually purchased can review
Why this matters: New clients compare providers based on service-specific track records. A notary with 50 five-star reviews for remote notarization will book more than one with only 5 reviews.
Service Statistics
Laymans tracks performance metrics:
- Completion rate: % of accepted services you complete
- Response time: How quickly you accept/decline requests
- Price accuracy: How often your estimates match final invoices
- Repeat clients: How many clients book you multiple times
Higher stats = higher visibility in search results.
Specialization Tags
Tag your services with specializations:
- Case types (family law, employment, landlord-tenant)
- Document types (pleadings, contracts, affidavits)
- Languages offered
- Rush/same-day availability
Clients filter by these tags - the more relevant tags, the more discoverable you are.
What Clients Expect From You
Professionalism
- Respond promptly - Accept or decline service requests within 24 hours
- Communicate clearly - Explain what you need from clients, estimated timelines, and any delays
- Meet deadlines - If you quote 48-hour turnaround, deliver in 48 hours
- Deliver quality work - Court-ready documents, accurate transcriptions, properly executed service
Compliance and Ethics
- Follow state rules - Comply with licensing requirements, scope of practice limits, and ethical guidelines
- Maintain confidentiality - Client communications and documents are privileged/sensitive
- Avoid unauthorized practice of law - Don't give legal advice, draft legal arguments, or represent clients in court (unless you're also an attorney)
- Document everything - Keep records of services performed, communications, and deliverables
Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL)
As a non-attorney clerical provider, you can prepare documents, file paperwork, and provide administrative support - but you cannot:
- Advise clients on which legal arguments to make
- Choose which documents to file or legal strategies to pursue
- Represent clients in court proceedings
- Draft legal analysis or opinions
Stick to mechanical/administrative tasks. If clients ask legal questions, direct them to attorneys on the Laymans marketplace or legal aid organizations.
Transparent Pricing
Clients appreciate accurate estimates:
- Break down costs - Show hourly rate × estimated hours
- Explain variables - "Complex filings may require additional review time"
- Communicate increases early - If a project is taking longer than expected, notify the client before finalizing
Use Cases: Who Hires Clerical Services?
Pro Se Litigants
The need: Individuals representing themselves who need professional formatting, notarization, or filing assistance but can't afford full legal representation.
Example services:
- Format their AI-generated complaint to court standards
- Notarize their sworn declarations
- E-file their documents in federal court
- Serve the opposing party with summons
Why they choose you: Affordable à la carte services let them handle parts of the case themselves while outsourcing technical/administrative tasks.
Attorneys Seeking Support
The need: Lawyers who need overflow help, specialized services outside their firm's capabilities, or support in unfamiliar jurisdictions.
Example services:
- Process serving in a distant state
- Medical record summaries for personal injury cases
- E-filing in jurisdictions where they're admitted pro hac vice
- Court reporting for remote depositions
Why they choose you: Faster and more flexible than hiring temporary staff; pay only for services actually needed.
Movement Organizers
The need: Class action organizers or movement leaders coordinating legal services for multiple members.
Example services:
- Bulk notarization for attestation forms
- Document preparation for dozens of similar claims
- Coordinated process serving for multiple defendants
- Translation services for multilingual member communities
Why they choose you: Movements often have shared funding and need consistent, reliable providers who can handle volume.
Getting Started: Your First Steps
| Step | Action | Time Required |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Register your account | 5 minutes |
| 2 | Set up your organization profile | 15 minutes |
| 3 | Upload credentials (licenses, certifications, insurance) | 10 minutes |
| 4 | List your first service | 20 minutes |
| 5 | Set up Stripe account for payments | 10 minutes |
| 6 | Start receiving client requests | Ongoing |
Total time to launch: ~1 hour
Tips for Success
Price Competitively but Fairly
Research what other providers charge:
- Notaries: Check your state's fee schedules (many states cap notary fees)
- Process servers: Local rates vary widely; urban areas typically charge more
- Document prep: Attorneys may charge $200-400/hour; you can offer same quality at $50-150/hour
Don't race to the bottom. Clients value reliability, speed, and quality - not just the lowest price.
Optimize Your Profile
- Professional photo: Organizations with photos get 3x more clicks
- Detailed descriptions: Explain exactly what's included in each service
- Highlight credentials: "Certified Paralegal with 10 years of family law experience" beats "Paralegal services"
- Show availability: "Same-day notarization available" or "24-hour turnaround for document formatting"
Respond to Reviews
- Thank positive reviewers: Shows professionalism and engagement
- Address concerns constructively: If a client had an issue, explain how you resolved it or will improve
Offer Bundled Services
Create service packages:
- "Complaint Package: Formatting + E-filing + Process Serving" for flat rate
- "Notary + Document Preparation" combo
- "Medical Records: Retrieval + Summary" together
Bundles increase average transaction value and provide better client experience.
Stay Organized
Use Laymans tools to manage your workload:
- Casefiles: Store client documents securely
- Events: Schedule notarization appointments or deposition reporting
- Bookmarks: Save frequently used court forms or research resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need professional liability insurance to offer services?
Not required by Laymans, but strongly recommended. Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance protects you if a client claims your work caused damages (e.g., missed filing deadline, incorrect notarization). Many professional associations offer affordable policies for paralegals, notaries, and process servers.
Can I offer services nationwide?
Depends on the service and your licenses:
- Remote online notarization (RON): If your state allows RON and you're commissioned, you can typically serve clients in other states that accept RON
- Process serving: Must be registered/authorized in the state where service occurs
- Document preparation: Generally no geographic limits (but check state rules on form preparation)
- E-filing: Requires familiarity with specific court systems; can serve any jurisdiction if you learn their procedures
Always verify you're authorized to provide services in the jurisdictions where clients are located.
What if a client asks for something beyond my scope?
Decline the service and explain why. For example:
- "I can format your complaint, but I cannot advise on which legal claims to include - that's legal advice requiring an attorney."
- "I'm a California notary and can't notarize documents for use in New York. I recommend searching for a New York notary on Laymans."
Clients appreciate honesty. You can also suggest alternative services on the platform that might fit their needs.
How do I handle difficult clients?
Use Laymans' tools:
- Clear communication: Set expectations upfront about what's included, turnaround times, and communication methods
- Document everything: Keep records of all client requests and your responses
- Escalate if needed: Report abusive behavior or unreasonable demands to Laymans support
You can also decline to work with repeat problem clients in the future.
What's the difference between me and a legal document assistant (LDA)?
Terminology varies by state, but generally:
- Legal Document Assistants (CA) / Legal Document Preparers (AZ, NV): State-registered professionals who prepare legal documents for self-represented litigants (but don't give legal advice)
- Paralegals: Work under attorney supervision or independently provide administrative support
- Notaries: Authenticate signatures and administer oaths
On Laymans, you can offer services consistent with your credentials and state authorization. If you're an LDA, advertise as such. If you're a paralegal offering independent document prep, make clear you're not providing legal advice.
Can I work with attorneys on Laymans even if I'm not a traditional "paralegal"?
Yes! Attorneys on Laymans hire:
- Notaries for remote client document authentication
- Process servers for out-of-state service
- Court reporters for depositions
- Translators for multilingual cases
- Medical record specialists for personal injury cases
As long as you have the appropriate credentials for your service, attorneys are potential clients.
Ready to Start Earning?
You have the skills. You have the license. Now get clients who need your expertise.
Next steps:
- Create your account
- Set up your organization
- List your services
- Start getting paid for professional work
Additional Resources
| Resource | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| How to Purchase Services | See the client perspective on buying services |
| Verification Services | Verify your credentials and build trust |
| Account Settings | Manage notifications, payment settings, profile |
| Events Management | Schedule client appointments and track deadlines |