Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Aiding in the Unauthorized Practice of Law


Censure was appropriate discipline for attorney who, after becoming aware that client had mailed out letters under his letterhead and bearing his purported signature in matters in which he had been retained by client did not advise recipients of letters, or court, that he was unaware of, and had not authorized, these letters and thereby aided a nonlawyer in unauthorized practice of law in violation of Disciplinary Rules prohibiting such misconduct.  In re Grossman, 934 N.Y.S.2d 206 (N.Y.A.D. 2 Dept., 2011).

Sunday, July 24, 2011

NY State Assembly Bill to License Paralegals


Summary:

BILL NO    A08532 
 
Add Art 167 SS8800 - 8802, Ed L
 
Requires licensure for the paralegal profession.
BILL NUMBER:A8532
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the education law, in relation to requiring licensure for
the paralegal profession
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF THE BILL:
Requiring licensure for the paralegal profession.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: The education law is amended by adding a new article 167 to
read as follows; the board of regents upon the recommendation of the
commissioner shall establish a program to require the licensure of
paralegals practicing in this state. The program shall define the
scope of paralegal practice, establish license application fees and
license renewal fees and create an independent board to adopt rules
and regulations.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Every year more and more attorneys are allowing their paralegals to
work extensively on important and complex cases: Cases that impact
the life of their clients and other people involved. Some of these
paralegals tend to commit errors that could lead to nightmares for
the clients. This legislation would require paralegal to have the
qualification necessary in order to provide improved and more
professional services to clients of attorneys.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2011.


A08532 Text:

                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         8532
 
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                     July 13, 2011
                                      ___________
 
       Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  N. RIVERA  --  read once and referred to the
         Committee on Higher Education
 
       AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation  to  requiring  licensure
         for the paralegal profession
 
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
    1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new article 167 to
    2  read as follows:
    3                                 ARTICLE 167
    4                                  PARALEGAL
    5  SECTION 8800. INTRODUCTION.
    6          8801. PARALEGAL PROGRAM.
    7          8802. USE OF THE TITLE "PARALEGAL".
    8    S 8800.  INTRODUCTION. THIS ARTICLE APPLIES TO THE  PARALEGAL  PROFES-
    9  SION.  THE  GENERAL  PROVISIONS FOR ALL PROFESSIONS CONTAINED IN ARTICLE
   10  ONE HUNDRED THIRTY OF THIS TITLE APPLY TO THIS ARTICLE.
   11    S 8801. PARALEGAL PROGRAM. 1. THE BOARD OF REGENTS UPON THE  RECOMMEN-
   12  DATION  OF  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO REQUIRE THE
   13  LICENSURE OF ALL PARALEGALS PRACTICING IN THIS STATE.
   14    2. THE PROGRAM SHALL: (A) DEFINE  THE  SCOPE  OF  PARALEGAL  PRACTICE;
   15  PROVIDE  MANDATORY  MINIMUM  STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES FOR INITIAL QUALI-
   16  FICATIONS; AND PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR  CONTINUING  EDUCATION,  CERTIF-
   17  ICATION, AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT;
   18    (B) ESTABLISH LICENSE APPLICATION FEES AND LICENSE RENEWAL FEES, WHICH
   19  SHALL  NOT  EXCEED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH. THE REVENUES GENERATED FROM
   20  SUCH FEES SHALL BE USED SOLELY TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM  AND  SHALL  BE
   21  SET  AT  A LEVEL THAT DOES NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE
   22  CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM; AND
   23    (C) CREATE AN INDEPENDENT BOARD TO ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS, ESTAB-
   24  LISH PROCEDURES, AND ASSIST THE BOARD IN ADMINISTERING THIS SECTION.
   25    S 8802. USE OF THE TITLE "PARALEGAL". ONLY  A  PERSON  LICENSED  UNDER
   26  THIS ARTICLE SHALL USE THE TITLE "PARALEGAL".
   27    S 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2011.
 
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

New York Attorney Disciplined for Sharing Fees with a Nonlawyer and for Paying for a Referral

The Committee on Grievances found that the attorney accepted $5,000 from Client Roe's family and did no legal work on his behalf; that the attorney shared legal fees with a nonlawyer, Inmate Doe, to compensate him in part for his “legal” work and for recommending the respondent's services to other inmates. In re Saghir 925 N.Y.S.2d 99, 101 (N.Y.A.D. 2 Dept.,2011).


Thursday, June 30, 2011

Failure to Supervise

Attorney disciplined for failure to supervise a non-attorney in connection with the escrow account.
In re Armenakis 924 N.Y.S.2d 84, 85 (N.Y.A.D. 1 Dept.,2011)


Thursday, June 16, 2011

Failure to Supervise Nonattorney; Allowing Nonattorney to Sign Attorney’s Name on Checks

Attorney violated disciplinary rule requiring adequate supervision of non–attorney employees by employing non–attorney office manager and, while attorney was seriously ill and absent from her office for several months, knowingly allowed employee to issue and signed his name on at least 17 checks from her attorney escrow account. In re Mednik 923 N.Y.S.2d 195 (N.Y.A.D. 2 Dept.,2011)

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Power of Attorney Does Not Confer a Right of Nonattorney Representation

A tenant sued in a summary proceeding must either appear in person or hire an attorney to appear. The prohibition against a lay person appearing on behalf of the tenant in a summary proceeding must be enforced by the courts, even where the person appearing for the party has a duly executed power of attorney. Even where the parties are closely related and united in interest the proscription still applies.
Parkchester Preservation Co., LP v. Feldeine 922 N.Y.S.2d 744 (N.Y.City Civ.Ct.,2011)
 

Bill Statsky