Lawyers can be expensive. People might not realize that they need lawyers. And let’s face it, lawyers are not the most likable or trustworthy people out there. We may not be used car salesmen or members of Congress, but we’re definitely in the neighborhood.

One possible way to help bridge the gap is to expand the pool of people eligible to practice law. Some states have experimented with licensing paralegals or paraprofessionals to handle limited legal matters. In recent years, states including Arizona, Utah, Minnesota and Oregon have started programs allowing paraprofessionals to practice limited areas of law under supervision or after many hours of training.

Of course, that raises age-old concerns about unauthorized practice of law. Those concerns have already helped derail one paraprofessional licensing program in Washington. Could they help take down some more?

In this episode the Legal Rebels Podcast, Eda Rosa talks about licensing paraprofessionals to perform legal tasks, as well as the importance of paralegals and paraprofessionals to the legal profession, with the ABA Journal’s Victor Li. She runs Eda Rosa LLC, a paralegal service and legal professional development training company and hosts the Let’s Talk Paralegal podcast.

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In This Podcast:

Eda Rosa

Eda Rosa runs Eda Rosa LLC, a paralegal service and legal professional development training company and hosts the Let’s Talk Paralegal podcast. She has over two decades of experience aiding attorneys nationwide in efficient caseload management, creating reliable legal education programs, and improving client relationships. Her background includes 15 years as a paralegal in Florida, which inspired her to establish her own venture in 2017.