Want to Actually Enjoy Your Vacation? Delegate to a Freelance Lawyer.

Summer has a way of catching law firms off guard.

One partner is finally taking that long-awaited family vacation. An associate is out on parental leave. Another lawyer is juggling summer camps, travel, and kids home from school. Meanwhile, clients don’t take the summer off. Deadlines still arrive, deals still close, and litigation schedules rarely slow down.

The firms that navigate summer most successfully aren’t necessarily the ones with fewer cases—they’re the ones that plan ahead and delegate strategically.

Instead of waiting until someone is overwhelmed or a deadline is looming, here are a few ways to use freelance legal support to keep work moving all summer long.

Plan around vacations, not emergencies

If you know a partner, associate, or key team member will be away, think through what can be delegated before they leave. Research projects, discovery, drafting motions, due diligence, document review, contract drafting, and preparing deposition outlines can all be assigned to an experienced freelance attorney so work continues seamlessly while your team enjoys well-deserved time off.

How should you plan? Review your calendar a few weeks before your vacation and identify a project to delegate early. That gives your freelance attorney time to get up to speed while you are still available to answer questions and provide guidance.

Delegate the projects that always get pushed aside

Every firm has important projects that never seem urgent enough to make the top of the list—updating form documents, researching a developing area of law, revising employee handbooks, preparing CLE materials, or organizing litigation files.

Many law firms also choose to delegate the work they simply don’t enjoy doing. After all, if a project has been sitting untouched on your desk for weeks, that’s often a sign it’s the perfect assignment for a freelance attorney.  

Summer is an ideal time to finally tackle those projects while your attorneys remain focused on client work and higher-value responsibilities.

Use freelance lawyers to absorb unexpected spikes

Summer workloads can be unpredictable. A case suddenly heads to trial. A major transaction accelerates. A client sends an urgent project the day before half the office leaves for vacation.

The reality is that law firms don’t have to do it all themselves. Having a trusted freelance attorney already in your network allows you to respond quickly without overloading your existing team or asking attorneys to cancel vacation plans.

Give clear instructions upfront

The more context you provide at the beginning of an assignment, the smoother the project will go. Explain your objectives, deadlines, preferred work product, formatting expectations, estimated time to spend, and any client-specific preferences. A sample brief or prior work product is often the best roadmap for success.

Think beyond billable hours

Delegating isn’t simply about reducing your workload. It’s about allowing your attorneys to focus on the work that requires their judgment, client relationships, and strategic thinking. When experienced freelance lawyers handle substantive projects, your team can spend more time where they add the greatest value.  Freelance lawyers don’t just fill temporary gaps—they strengthen law firms at every stage.

Summer should be a season for recharging—not one where attorneys feel guilty about taking a vacation because no one else can cover the work. With thoughtful planning and the right freelance legal support, your firm can continue delivering exceptional client service while giving your lawyers the flexibility they’ve earned.

At Montage, we’ve helped law firms navigate summer staffing challenges for more than 15 years by connecting them with experienced freelance attorneys who can step in exactly when they’re needed. A little planning now can make this your firm’s smoothest summer yet.