Legal Consultant Exam

[passaroa25]

A trial strategist is a behavioral profiler. 

A legal memo is an analytical document based on sound legal research. 

A paralegal can do either one of those jobs.  Performing those functions would not be UPL.

An attorney would use a person with those skills for the same reason she would hire a personal assistant:  to free her mind up to better represent clients.  And, attorneys hire based on past performance.  That kind of experience can be gained by starting out doing pro bono work.

Someone with a non-ABA degree is essentially a paralegal.

[passaroa25]

I have no interest in trial strategy myself.  My niche is legal research:http:// http://www.works.bepress.com/angela_passaro.

[sollicitus]

I have no interest in trial strategy myself.  My niche is legal research:http:// http://www.works.bepress.com/angela_passaro.

"More articles on legal
issues soon to come."    You really should look into "unauthorized practice of law".

[passaroa25]

Several books clearly state that paralegals can perform legal research.

[sollicitus]

Several books clearly state that paralegals can perform legal research.

several books........(paralegals make me giggle)

Ask the state bars. You will see that most require them to work under an attorney and ban the owning of a paralegal owned company. It varies by state. Be vary careful. Especially since most people will want you to "interpret" or "explain" what you found. (legal advise) there is a reason why the clerks at the courts are scared to even show you how to fillout the forms they give you.

[passaroa25]

My dear, who do you think the results of  legal research are directed to?  I think I can spell it out for you.  Legal research projects  means attorneys are the paralegals' clients.  You really need to do your homework before you post comments.

[sollicitus]

My dear, who do you think the results of  legal research are directed to?  I think I can spell it out for you.  Legal research projects  means attorneys are the paralegals' clients.  You really need to do your homework before you post comments.

wow......a bitchy paralegal (almost) who knew? Fetch me my coffee and file some photo copies of my butt. Thanks.

[legalpractitioner]

"Someone with a non-ABA degree is essentially a paralegal."

If they have a law license they are an attorney, if they don't, they are not a paralegal by default unless they actually work as a paralegal, usually in a law office.

I might add many paralegals hold a MSLS (Masters in Legal Studies) from regionally accredited schools.  If I were hiring paralegals that is the qualification plus experience I would look at and I would still be dubious of online schools even if they are regionally accredited.

[legalpractitioner]

My dear, who do you think the results of  legal research are directed to?  I think I can spell it out for you.  Legal research projects  means attorneys are the paralegals' clients.  You really need to do your homework before you post comments.

Quite true, attorneys can hire who they want to do legal research. They can also outsource it to India since all that is usually involved is an understanding of the law and the ability to do key word and/or boolean searches. But not anyone can pick up Lexis and do this, it does take some skill.  But it is not practice of law or anything close to it.