Written by Tom Gordon
We recently sent the Wisconsin Supreme Court our suggestions for how it could best support Limited Scope Representation (or "unbundling"), which is a new form of legal representation that would allow lawyers to advise clients on only selected elements of a legal matter. You can read our comments here. Tom Gordon is Executive Director of Responsive Law.
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Written by Tom Gordon
We recently weighed in on the ABA's new proposed rules for allowing lawyers to practice across state lines. You can read them here. Tom Gordon is Executive Director of Responsive Law. Written by Tom Gordon
Mark Childress was sworn in yesterday as the White House's Access to Justice Advisor, succeeding Laurence Tribe, who left last fall due to health problems. The Washington Post describes Childress as a "savvy Washington operator" who played a major behind-the-scenes role in the enactment of health-care reform and in handling federal judicial nominations. While Professor Tribe has left some large shoes to fill, we are pleased that the administration has chosen a serious political player as his replacement. We hope that Childress will quickly put those skills to use on behalf of the majority of Americans who lack meaningful access to the legal system. Tom Gordon is Executive Director of Responsive Law. Written by Tom Gordon
A Kentucky woman convicted of unauthorized practice of law will be appealing (subscription required) the $5,000 fine handed down by the Kentucky Supreme Court for her actions. Della Tarpinian operates what she describes as a scrivener service. Her customers, who need someone to prepare simple legal documents for them, fill out questionnaires which Tarpinian uses to complete fill-in-the-blank legal forms. Document preparation services are licensed and regulated in states such as California and Arizona, providing clear guidelines as to what services non-lawyers may provide. In other states, however, vague definitions of the practice of law leave the legality of these services in a gray area. As a result, consumers do not have the benefit of a robust marketplace providing document preparation services. Written by Tom Gordon
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) yesterday issued a ruling on whether lawyers are required to be present at real estate closings. In Real Estate Bar Association v. National Estate Information Services, the Court held that, although non-lawyer "conveyancing" companies that provide closing services are not practicing law, they nevertheless are prohibited from providing closing services, because those must be provided by a lawyer. Major media outlets have covered the ruling as the resolution of a turf battle between lawyers and non-lawyers in providing services. That's certainly one aspect of the case, but it also has important implications for legal consumers in Massachusetts, both in real estate transactions and in other legal matters. |
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