Smokeball Workflows Every Virtual Legal Assistant Should Know

Smokeball is a practice management platform built specifically for small law firms, with a strong emphasis on automation and document management. For virtual legal assistants, understanding Smokeball's unique features and workflows is essential for providing effective remote support.

Whether you are a virtual assistant learning Smokeball for the first time or a firm owner preparing to delegate tasks to remote staff, these are the workflows that will have the biggest impact on daily productivity.

Matter Setup and Intake

Every case in Smokeball begins with matter creation. Virtual assistants should set up new matters using the firm's standard naming conventions and populate all required fields including matter type, responsible attorney, and client information. Smokeball uses matter types to drive its automation features, so selecting the correct type at the outset is especially important.

During intake, assistants should also link all relevant contacts to the matter, including clients, opposing parties, and other key participants. Smokeball pulls contact information into documents and communications automatically, so accurate contact records save time throughout the life of the case.

Automatic Time Recording

One of Smokeball's standout features is its automatic time recording. The platform tracks time spent on each matter in the background, logging activities like document editing, email correspondence, and phone calls without requiring manual time entries. Virtual assistants should understand how this feature works and review the automatically captured time entries regularly.

While automatic tracking captures a significant amount of billable activity, assistants should supplement it with manual entries for tasks that the system may not detect, such as research conducted outside the platform or time spent coordinating with third parties by phone.

Document Automation and Templates

Smokeball offers a robust document automation engine that generates legal documents from templates using matter and contact data. Virtual assistants should learn which templates the firm uses most frequently and understand how to populate them correctly. Common automated documents include retainer agreements, court forms, correspondence, and pleadings.

When working with templates, assistants should verify that all merge fields populate correctly and review the final document for accuracy before sending it to an attorney for approval. Familiarity with the firm's template library saves significant time on routine document preparation.

Document Management and Organization

Smokeball stores all documents within the matter file and organizes them into folders automatically based on document type. Virtual assistants should follow the platform's organizational structure and ensure that all case related files are saved in the correct location. Documents uploaded manually should be named clearly and placed in the appropriate folder.

Smokeball also integrates with Microsoft Office, allowing assistants to create and edit documents directly within the platform. This integration keeps all work product linked to the correct matter without requiring manual uploads after editing.

Calendar and Task Management

Smokeball includes calendar and task management tools that virtual assistants should use to track deadlines, appointments, and follow up items. Every court date, filing deadline, and client meeting should be entered into the calendar with reminders set at appropriate intervals.

Tasks can be linked to specific matters and assigned to team members. Virtual assistants should create tasks for each actionable step in a workflow and update task statuses as work progresses. This keeps the legal team informed about what has been completed and what still needs attention.

Communication Tracking

All client and case related communications should be logged in Smokeball. The platform captures emails automatically when integrated with Microsoft Outlook, but virtual assistants should also record phone calls, voicemails, and other interactions as notes within the matter record. A complete communication history ensures that any team member can pick up a matter and understand its current status.

Billing and Invoicing

Smokeball's billing tools allow virtual assistants to review time entries, prepare draft invoices, and track payments. Assistants should review automatically captured time entries for accuracy and completeness before invoices are generated. They can also apply firm approved adjustments and ensure that invoices follow the firm's billing guidelines.

How DocketHire Prepares Assistants for Smokeball

DocketHire virtual assistants receive training on Smokeball's core workflows before being placed with a firm. Our team ensures that your assistant understands matter setup, document automation, time tracking, and the daily tasks that keep your Smokeball environment organized and productive. If your firm uses Smokeball, our staff are prepared to support you from day one.