25-10-305. Paralegal defined -- use of title.
271 words·~1 min read·
/mt/title-25/chapter-10/part-3/25-10-305·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
25-10-305 . Paralegal defined -- use of title.
(1)As used in 25-10-304 and this section, "paralegal" means a person qualified through education, training, or work experience who is employed or retained to perform, under supervision by a licensed attorney, substantive legal work that:
(a)requires a substantial knowledge of legal concepts; and
(b)in the absence of the paralegal, would be performed by an attorney.
(2)An individual may use the title "paralegal" if the individual:
(a)has received an associate's degree in paralegal studies from an accredited institution or a baccalaureate degree in paralegal studies from an accredited college or university;
(b)has received a baccalaureate degree in any discipline from an accredited college or university and has completed not less than 18 semester credits of course work offered by a qualified paralegal studies program;
(c)has received certification by the national association of legal assistants or the national federation of paralegal associations;
(d)has received a high school diploma or its equivalent, has performed not less than 4,800 hours of substantive legal work under the supervision of a licensed attorney documented by the certification of the attorney or attorneys under whom the work was done, and has completed at least 5 hours of approved continuing legal education in the area of legal ethics and professional responsibility; or
(e)has graduated from an accredited law school and has not been disbarred or suspended from the practice of law by any jurisdiction.
(3)A person may not practice as a paralegal except under the supervision of a licensed attorney and is prohibited from engaging in the unauthorized practice of law.