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One of the most effective ways to increase consumer choice in legal services would be to abolish unauthorized practice statutes. As the simple and routine legal needs of millions of Americans continue to go unmet each year, it is critical that consumers be able to utilize independent paralegals and other nonlawyer resources.
At the core of HALT's efforts to reform restrictions on unauthorized practice are three principles:
- The "unauthorized practice of law" means saying you are a lawyer when you are not;
- Innovative partnering between lawyers and nonlawyers is permissible with client consent after full disclosure of work and fee arrangements; and
- A client or customer complaint should be required before unauthorized practice of law proceedings can be initiated.
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