How Can Paralegals Be Required To Work As A Lawyer
PETER PARALEGAL INITIAL CLIENT INTERVIEW
Paralegals are legal professionals which can perform filing and drafting documents, contracting and interacting with clients, and prepare for trails. Even though paralegals can perform so many tasks that an actual attorney can do they also have restrictions. A paralegal is a person who is qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work (ABA, 2018). Paralegals cannot give any legal advice, negotiate fees, or represent clients in court. When complying with Model Rule 5.3, paralegals are required to work under a supervisory attorney that is responsible for conduct of the paralegal should any Rules of Professional Conduct be violated. The supervising lawyer …show more content…
Peter is a paralegal who is currently employed with Honest Law Firm, and was instructed to perform a number of multiple task regarding initial client interviews of two potential clients of the firm, Big Box and Value Mart which currently have a conflict of interest. The task includes, drafting initial pleadings and interviewing witnesses that pertain to the cases, establishing the attorney-client relationship, preparing initial interview questions, preparing and explaining fee agreement documents and daft and sign initial case evaluation letters and mail them.
Most of the tasks Peter were told to preform are fine because he is allowed to draft initial pleadings and interview witnesses that pertain to the cases. Some of the task are considered Unauthorized Practice of Law. When you look at the task of preparing interview questions you would not consider this as a UPL because this task is a part of what paralegals can do and is a
Paralegals are legal professionals which can perform filing and drafting documents, contracting and interacting with clients, and prepare for trails. Even though paralegals can perform so many tasks that an actual attorney can do they also have restrictions. A paralegal is a person who is qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work (ABA, 2018). Paralegals cannot give any legal advice, negotiate fees, or represent clients in court. When complying with Model Rule 5.3, paralegals are required to work under a supervisory attorney that is responsible for conduct of the paralegal should any Rules of Professional Conduct be violated. The supervising lawyer …show more content…
Peter is a paralegal who is currently employed with Honest Law Firm, and was instructed to perform a number of multiple task regarding initial client interviews of two potential clients of the firm, Big Box and Value Mart which currently have a conflict of interest. The task includes, drafting initial pleadings and interviewing witnesses that pertain to the cases, establishing the attorney-client relationship, preparing initial interview questions, preparing and explaining fee agreement documents and daft and sign initial case evaluation letters and mail them.
Most of the tasks Peter were told to preform are fine because he is allowed to draft initial pleadings and interview witnesses that pertain to the cases. Some of the task are considered Unauthorized Practice of Law. When you look at the task of preparing interview questions you would not consider this as a UPL because this task is a part of what paralegals can do and is a