By Pooja Kumar
Many attorneys are familiar with the feeling of impending doom when they believe they missed a deadline. The elevated heart rate, the empty pit of a dropped stomach, the mental anguish that comes with the possibility of opening themselves up to malpractice—these feelings of despair are all too real at times. What makes the situation worse is that those apprehensions are quite often preventable. While all attorneys aim for proper practice management, the task is difficult to handle alone. For that, attorneys frequently rely on support staff. A helping hand can offer security in meeting deadlines, confidence in covering all aspects of a case, and reminders to keep tabs on moving parts of litigation, to name a few benefits.
Unfortunately, the support personnel that work in the background often go unnoticed. They are recurrently the individuals who calendar the dates in the email that are skimmed but not studied, who draft the shell of a discovery response that was not on the attorney’s internal deadline radar, who physically submit important papers to the proper tribunal or department, or who speak with clients that are upset, frustrated, anxious, or otherwise in need of comfort regarding their legal rights. These auxiliary individuals are the frontline for legal practice. Certainly, then, they deserve recognition beyond one day per year. (For the record, Administrative Professionals’ Day is on Wednesday of the last full week of April. This year, it falls on April 22.)
Recognition of individuals who allow attorneys to run a successful practice does not have to be elaborate, over the top, expensive, or burdensome. Rather, acknowledgment of efforts, awareness of contribution, and appreciation of the hard work that these individuals provide can come in many forms. For instance, and at the very least, a mere “thank you” at the end of a long day can make a difference. A showing of gratitude for the work of another is a small way to let an assistant know that their efforts make a difference.
Ultimately, the attorney is liable for their practice of law. Support staff are a courtesy, and they deserve to be appreciated for their contributions and conveyance of benefits that allow attorneys to become successful. Such regard starts with recognition. After all, a law firm cannot operate without the proper individuals helping to manage the practice.
About the author
Pooja Kumar is a partner at the law firm of Cooper Levenson. She earned her law degree from Albany Law School, and her practice focuses on defending premise liability cases. Prior to joining Cooper Levenson, Pooja gained experience in civil litigation for both plaintiffs and defendants. She is presently a Co-Editor of Communiquè.
About the article
This article was originally published in the Communiqué (Mar. 2026), the official publication of the Clark County Bar Association. See https://clarkcountybar.org/about/member-benefits/communique-2026/communique-mar-2026/.
The articles and advertisements appearing in Communiqué magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the CCBA, the CCBA Publications Committee, the editorial board, or the other authors. All legal and other issues discussed are not for the purpose of answering specific legal questions. Attorneys and others are strongly advised to independently research all issues.
© 2026 Clark County Bar Association (CCBA). All rights reserved. No reproduction of any portion of this issue is allowed without written permission from the publisher. Editorial policy available upon request.