KNOW, the Magazine for Paralegals Summer 2014 | Page 17

“It is shocking that
in this day and age,
over 95 percent of
[consumer debt]
defendants in these
critical cases are
currently
unrepresented.”

Although the notion of limited licensure is
still alive in California at this time, it may not
have sufficient support to move to fruition.
Without strong support for this idea from
the courts or the bar or consumers, the idea
is without an advocate. And now that it is
one of many “solutions” being examined by
the current bar group, it is not the focus of
attention and study.
In both Washington and New York, the driving force for an expanded role for nonlawyers
in providing legal services was the judiciary,
which faces the profound consequences of
the justice gap on a daily basis.
Any initiative comparable to Washington’s
would face potentially strong opposition by
some subset of practicing lawyers