The Oregon State Bar (OSB) is requesting feedback on their proposal on licensing paralegals:
“… to provide some legal services that currently only lawyers may provide….”
Read the OSB summary of the proposal, view the video, and link to the questionnaire:
Do the journalists, bloggers, and talking heads who refer endlessly to “Title 42” when speaking or writing about immigration and border issues (usually the U.S. Mexico border) know what Title 42 is? Can those “reporters” cite the exact law? Have they read the so-called “Title 42?”
Saying “Title 42” is about as useful as hearing a radio or podcast host say “it’s Tuesday and it’s 20 minutes past the hour” (which Tuesday and what hour?!), or a subject line that says “Don’t miss today’s meeting!” (“today” has no meaning online, without a date!), or the so-called market reports saying “yesterday, the market ended up 13%” (what market, up from or to what?!). It’s meaningless, which listeners and readers know, but seemingly not the talking heads. Sigh.
Back to “What is Title 42?”
Oregon Diversity Legal Job Fair (ODLJF), March 9-10 2021.
ODLJF is using the Brazen platform for this event.
Read the ODLJF FAQ for information about participation and data privacy.
Note 1: There is limited space for this clinic, but walk-ins may still be able to pick up document packets.
Note 2: It is not clear if the forms can be filed in Circuit Courts other than Multnomah County, but some are state and federal level forms, which would be useful outside of Multnomah County.
Note 3: PCC = Portland (Oregon) Community College
TED Talk: “How to Put the Power of Law in People’s Hands”
Summary:
“What can you do when the wheels of justice don’t turn fast enough? Or when they don’t turn at all? Vivek Maru is working to transform the relationship between people and law, turning law from an abstraction or threat into something that everyone can understand, use and shape. Instead of relying solely on lawyers, Maru started a global network of community paralegals, or barefoot lawyers, who serve in their own communities and break the law down into simple terms to help people find solutions….” [Link to Vivek Maru’s TED Talk Reading List, and link to more TED Talks on justice, law, and crime.]
There are lots of reasons people don’t like lawyers, which doesn’t help either side, but it shouldn’t be because the lawyer doesn’t know how to manage incoming calls:
From the always practical and interesting, Jim Calloway’s Law Practice Tips:
Richard Zorza & David Udell Article: New Roles for Non-Lawyers to Increase Access to Justice
You can also link to this article from the SRLN website or from Richard Zorza’s Access to Justice blog, where you will be able to find dozens, hundreds, of other practical and provocative articles on Access to Justice issues.
“The paralegal profession has evolved significantly since its origin in the 1970s. While paralegals originally assisted attorneys in a secretarial capacity by formatting legal documents, they have since assumed substantive roles in legal offices, the government and corporations both large and small. Little by little, paralegals have become savvier, more educated, and more professional. Today paralegals are fully contributing members of legal teams.
Back in the early days of the profession ….” [Link to Paralegal Studies Masters website for more information and the infographic.]
Hat tip to Law Librarian Blog.
Do you want more information about Limited License Legal Technicians:
1) Link to our previous post on the Washington State LLLT program.
2) Attend a Town Hall:
Washington State is the latest state to create a Limited License Legal Technician (LLLT) professional classification.
Find a Washington Limited License Legal Technician (LLLT) Research Guide at the Gallagher Law Library. The Research Guide includes links to similar limited license initiatives in other states.
For an Oregon perspective, the December 2013 issue, page 12, of the Multnomah Lawyer has an article on the Washington State LLLT.
Oregon Legal Research Blog