Pilot project allowing nonlawyer legal providers gets OK in Washington
The Temple of Justice, where sessions of the Washington Supreme Court are convened. The Washington Supreme Court has authorized a pilot project that will allow nonlawyer entities to provide legal and law-related services in Washington. (Photo by Brian Logan Photography/Shutterstock)
The Washington Supreme Court has authorized a pilot project that will allow nonlawyer entities to provide legal and law-related services in Washington.
The pilot project will help determine whether regulated nonlegal entities will increase access to justice while protecting the public or whether their operation will create risks of consumer harm, the state supreme court said in its Dec. 5 order.
Reuters and Law360 have coverage; a Dec. 6 press release is here.
The Washington State Bar Association and the Washington Supreme Court’s Practice of Law Board will oversee the pilot program.
Applicants wanting to participate will have to identify a lawyer “or other suitable person” to act as a compliance officer who will ensure that ethics rules are followed and that data is reported to the Washington State Bar Association, the order says. The Washington State Bar Association is required to develop complaint procedures.
“The pilot test is the beginning of a process, not the end; the goal is to learn more and make transparent, data-driven decisions before any permanent regulatory reform is put in place,” according to a webpage on the program.
Indiana is also considering “legal regulatory innovation” that includes legal services providers with nonlawyer owners.
In an Oct. 3 order, the Indiana Supreme Court directed an innovation committee to develop guidelines for such a program that would be approved by the state supreme court, Reuters previously reported.
Utah and Arizona have already implemented similar programs.
See also:
Nonlawyer entities could provide legal services in Washington in proposed pilot program
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