Frequently Asked Questions
Working with Opal & Ora
Who do you work with?
We work with busy professionals, small businesses, legal professionals, expert witnesses and consultants who need reliable administrative and organisational support.
Our clients usually come to us because the day-to-day detail is taking up too much time, important tasks are sitting in the background, or they need experienced support without employing someone directly.
Do you only work with legal clients?
No. Our background means we are particularly well suited to legal, medico-legal and expert witness support, but we do not only work with legal clients.
We also support professionals, consultants and small businesses with executive assistance, project support, document preparation, diary management, inbox organisation and general business administration.
Are you a law firm?
No. Opal & Ora is not a law firm and we do not provide legal advice.
We provide administrative and organisational support. For legal, medico-legal or expert witness clients, this means we can help with the practical work around your practice, but responsibility for professional advice, decisions, deadlines, filings, approvals and final content remains with you.
How do you work with clients?
We fit around the way you work, rather than asking you to rebuild everything around us.
At the outset, we agree what support is needed, how work should be passed to us, how we will communicate, and what systems, templates or documents are involved.
We then provide calm, organised support in the background, keeping tasks moving, maintaining clear communication and flagging anything that needs your attention.
The intention is simple: less friction, clearer administration and more room for you to focus on the work that needs you.
Can you work within our existing systems?
Yes, where appropriate.
We can usually work within your existing systems, templates and processes, provided the correct access, permissions and instructions are in place.
This may include email, diaries, document storage, practice management systems, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, cloud storage or other agreed platforms.
We can also help create simple systems, templates or workflows where you do not already have them in place.
Do we need to have everything organised before contacting you?
No. In fact, that is often where we can help.
You do not need to have perfect systems, tidy folders or a fully mapped-out process before getting in touch. We can help you identify what support is needed, where the pressure points are, and what kind of structure would make things easier.
A clear starting point is helpful, but it does not need to be polished.
Services and scope
What kind of tasks can you help with?
We provide flexible administrative and organisational support for busy professionals and small businesses.
This may include inbox and diary management, document preparation, proofreading, file organisation, scheduling, correspondence, invoicing support, travel arrangements, template creation, process support and general business administration.
For legal, medico-legal or expert witness clients, support may also include more specialist administrative tasks such as report formatting, bundle preparation, chronology work, matter organisation and liaison with solicitors, counsel, experts or other professional contacts.
The exact scope of support is always agreed in advance, so you have clarity over what is included.
Do you offer one-off support or retainers?
We can offer both, depending on the type of support you need and our availability.
Some clients need help with a specific project, piece of work or backlog. Others prefer ongoing support through a monthly retainer, where a set amount of time is reserved for them each month.
We can discuss what would work best based on your workload, priorities and how regularly you need support.
Can you help with urgent work?
Sometimes, yes, depending on availability and the nature of the task.
If work is urgent, please let us know as early as possible, including the deadline and what you need from us. Where we can help, we will confirm what is realistic before work begins.
Urgent work is not automatically included unless agreed in advance.
Do you provide phone cover?
Phone support may be available by prior agreement, but it is not automatically included in every package.
If phone support is needed, we will agree the scope in advance, including when calls will be covered, what types of calls we can deal with, what needs to be escalated and how time will be recorded.
Can you manage my inbox or diary?
Yes, where this is agreed as part of your support.
Inbox and diary support can include reviewing messages, flagging important items, filing emails, arranging appointments, sending routine replies, preparing reminders and helping to keep your day better organised.
The level of monitoring will be agreed in advance. Unless otherwise agreed, support is carried out at agreed intervals during working hours, rather than as continuous real-time monitoring.
Pricing, retainers and unused time
How are your services priced?
Our pricing depends on the type of support you need, the amount of time you would like us to reserve, and whether the work is one-off, project-based or ongoing.
We will always discuss this with you before work begins, so you know what is included, how fees are calculated and what to expect.
Every arrangement is scoped individually, because the right level of support will look different for every client.
Do you charge hourly or offer packages?
We can offer support in a few different ways, depending on what works best for you.
Some clients need help with a specific project or defined piece of work. Others prefer a monthly retainer, where a set amount of time is reserved for them each month. We can also discuss ad hoc support where appropriate, subject to availability.
The most suitable option will usually depend on how regular the support needs to be, how quickly you need work turned around and whether you would like guaranteed time set aside.
Why do you invoice retainers in advance?
Monthly retainers are invoiced in advance because they reserve a set amount of time for you during that service period.
This means we can plan our availability properly and ensure the agreed time is protected for your work.
It also keeps things clear from the outset: your time allocation is confirmed, the service period is agreed, and support can begin once payment and onboarding are complete.
What happens if we need more hours?
If you need more support than originally agreed, we will let you know and discuss the options with you.
Additional time can usually be arranged, subject to availability. We will always agree this with you first, so there are no unexpected charges or surprise invoices lurking in the undergrowth.
Where it looks as though you may regularly need more time, we can also review whether your package should be adjusted.
What happens if we do not use all our hours?
This will depend on the package agreed.
Some retainer packages may include a limited carry-over allowance, which means a set number of unused hours can be carried forward into the next service period.
Any carry-over arrangement will be agreed in advance, so you know exactly what can be carried forward, how long it remains available and when unused time expires.
This helps us keep support fair and manageable across all clients, while still giving a little flexibility where possible.
Are unused hours refundable?
Monthly retainers reserve time and availability for the agreed service period, so unused hours are not usually refundable.
Where carry-over is included in your package, a limited amount of unused time may be carried forward in line with the agreed terms.
We will always explain how this works before your retainer begins, so you can choose the arrangement that best suits your needs.
Security, confidentiality and data protection
Is our information kept confidential?
Yes. Confidentiality is central to how we work.
We understand that clients may share sensitive business, legal, clinical, personal or professional information with us. That information is handled carefully, used only for the agreed purpose, and accessed only by those who need it to provide the support.
Can you sign an NDA?
Yes. We can sign a non-disclosure agreement where required.
We can also work with a client’s own confidentiality documents, provided they are appropriate for the support being provided.
Are you registered with the ICO?
Yes. Opal & Ora Ltd is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Our ICO registration reference is 00013947277.
What systems do you use?
We use professional systems including Microsoft 365, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint and Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Where appropriate, we can also work within client systems, provided the correct access, permissions and instructions are in place.
How do you keep information secure?
We take practical steps to protect client information, including secure systems, password-protected accounts, multi-factor authentication where available, access controls and careful file management.
We also keep client work organised and separated, so information is handled within the correct client space, system or workflow.
The exact arrangements may vary depending on the services agreed and the systems being used, but confidentiality and secure handling are built into the way we work.
Do you handle sensitive information?
Yes, where this forms part of the agreed work.
Depending on the services provided, this may include confidential business information, legal documents, clinical records, medico-legal material, case papers, health information or other sensitive professional information.
We only handle this information where it is necessary for the agreed support and in accordance with applicable data protection requirements.
Do you have a Data Processing Agreement?
Yes. Where we process personal data on behalf of a client, our Data Processing Agreement may apply.
This sets out how personal data will be handled, the responsibilities of each party, and the security and confidentiality measures in place.
Do you share client information with anyone else?
We only share information where necessary to provide the agreed services, follow client instructions, manage our business, or comply with legal obligations.
We do not sell client data and we do not pass information to third parties for marketing purposes.
Legal, medico-legal and expert witness support
Do you support legal and medico-legal professionals?
Yes. Legal and medico-legal support is one of our core service areas.
Our background is in national law firm environments, including conveyancing, litigation and clinical negligence support. This means we understand the importance of accuracy, confidentiality, deadlines, document presentation and clear communication.
We provide administrative and organisational support around legal and medico-legal work, helping to keep matters, reports, correspondence and professional commitments moving properly.
Can you support expert witnesses?
Yes. Expert witness support is one of the areas where Opal & Ora can provide particularly focused assistance.
We can help with the administrative side of expert witness work, including diary coordination, instruction tracking, document organisation, report formatting, CV formatting, invoicing support, template preparation and general practice administration.
This allows experts to spend more time on their professional opinion and less time managing the administration around it.
Can you help someone who is new to expert witness work?
Yes. We can help new or developing expert witnesses put practical administrative foundations in place.
This may include setting up templates, checklists, document structures, instruction trackers, enquiry processes, diary systems and invoicing workflows.
We cannot advise on an expert’s professional duties, opinions or evidence, but we can help create the administrative framework around the work so it feels more organised from the beginning.
Can you help with expert reports?
Yes, from an administrative and document preparation perspective.
We can assist with formatting, proofreading, layout, pagination, consistency checks, document organisation and preparation of appendices or supporting material, depending on the agreed scope.
We do not provide expert opinion, alter professional conclusions or take responsibility for the substance of a report. The expert remains responsible for reviewing and approving the final content.
Can you liaise with solicitors, counsel or other professionals?
Yes, where this forms part of the agreed support.
We can assist with routine administrative liaison, such as confirming instructions, arranging appointments, chasing documents, coordinating availability, sending updates, managing report timelines and dealing with practical queries.
Anything requiring professional judgement, advice, evidence or decision-making would remain with the solicitor, expert or relevant professional.
Getting started
How do we start working with you?
The first step is usually a short introductory conversation.
This gives us the chance to understand what kind of support you need, how you currently work, where the pressure points are, and whether Opal & Ora is likely to be the right fit.
After that, we can suggest the most suitable next step, whether that is a defined project, an initial allocation of hours or ongoing support.
Do we need to know exactly what support we need before contacting you?
No. Many clients know they need help before they know exactly what that help should look like.
We can talk through what is taking up too much time, what is being delayed, what feels difficult to keep on top of, and what kind of support would make the biggest practical difference.
You do not need to have everything fully worked out before getting in touch.
What happens after the first conversation?
After the first conversation, we will usually send a short written summary of what has been discussed.
This may include the type of support we think would be most useful, the proposed scope, suggested time allocation, pricing, systems or access needed, and any next steps.
If you would like to proceed, we will confirm the agreed arrangements in writing before work begins.
Do we need to commit to ongoing support straight away?
No. Some clients begin with a one-off project, a defined piece of work or a small initial allocation of hours before deciding whether ongoing support would be useful.
This can be a helpful way to understand how we work, what level of support you need, and whether a regular arrangement would make sense.
How quickly can support begin?
This depends on availability, the type of work required and the onboarding needed.
For straightforward support, we may be able to begin once the scope, payment and access arrangements are agreed.
For more involved work, especially where confidential information, client systems, sensitive data or ongoing support are involved, we will need to complete the appropriate onboarding steps first.
