operations administrationcliodocketinge filinglegal support
Complete evaluation framework
What to assess and how to score it
Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Execution and reliability
35% weight
Check how they handled real caseloads remotely: e-filing through PACER or state portals, calendaring statute deadlines, Bates numbering discovery, drafting retainers, and managing intake in Clio or MyCase.
Evidence to listen for
Describes a workload they owned and how they kept it from slipping
Names the tools and systems they ran day to day
Can talk about volume: tickets, inboxes, orders, uptime
Nothing quietly falls through when they are busy
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Cannot describe their own workload; things slip without them noticing.
2
Needs Improvement
Handles routine volume; drops work under pressure.
3
Satisfactory
Reliable on steady-state work; struggles when volume spikes.
4
Very Good
Consistently reliable at real volume with a system for staying on top.
5
Excellent
Names specific filing portals and practice areas, cites deadline volumes handled per week, and has never missed a court filing cutoff.
02
Evaluation factor
Improving the process
25% weight
Probe what they rebuilt: intake questionnaires, document automation templates, e-signature workflows in DocuSign, billing reconciliation, or a docketing checklist that cut attorney review time.
Evidence to listen for
Has changed a process rather than only following one
Can name what was slow or error-prone and what they did about it
Documents so the improvement survives them
Knows when a process is worth automating and when it is not
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Follows instructions only; no sense that process can change.
2
Needs Improvement
Notices problems but escalates rather than solving.
3
Satisfactory
Makes small improvements; impact is local and undocumented.
4
Very Good
Has redesigned a real process with measurable effect.
5
Excellent
Describes a template library or intake workflow they built, with hours saved per matter or reduced attorney corrections.
03
Evaluation factor
Judgement and autonomy
25% weight
Test where they stop: recognising unauthorised practice of law boundaries, escalating conflicts of interest, handling privileged material, and deciding alone versus pinging a partner across time zones.
Evidence to listen for
Knows what to decide alone and what to escalate
Handles an exception without freezing or improvising recklessly
Protects confidentiality and access appropriately
Asks a clarifying question rather than guessing on something costly
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Either escalates everything or acts recklessly on their own.
2
Needs Improvement
Needs frequent direction; uneasy with exceptions.
3
Satisfactory
Sound judgement on familiar decisions.
4
Very Good
Clear sense of their own authority; handles exceptions well.
5
Excellent
Draws a clear UPL line, gives an example of flagging a conflict check hit, and works unsupervised across time zones.
04
Evaluation factor
Communication
15% weight
Assess written tone with clients, opposing counsel's paralegals, and court clerks; ask about status update cadence and how they chase attorneys for signatures without nagging.
Evidence to listen for
Writes clearly enough that people act without a follow-up
Manages expectations before a deadline slips, not after
Handles a frustrated colleague or customer calmly
Works across time zones or async where the role needs it
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Unclear written communication; goes quiet when things slip.
2
Needs Improvement
Communication needs chasing; raises problems late.
3
Satisfactory
Clear enough day to day; proactive updates are inconsistent.
4
Very Good
Clear, proactive, and calm under pressure.
5
Excellent
Writes clean, privilege-aware emails, keeps attorneys briefed proactively, and de-escalates anxious clients without offering legal opinions.
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