Did you know that only a person who has been admitted to the Maine Bar can give you legal advice in Maine? (Every state has similar rules, but we are only delving into Maine law here.) Anyone else is guilty of the unauthorized practice of law, which is considered a Class E crime in Maine. This is a rule of professional conduct for any law office.
The unauthorized practice of law might typically include non-attorney staff giving legal advice or preparing legal documents without lawyer supervision.
In this law office, we rely on attorneys and non-attorneys to move forward the work that our clients require. Our staff is very experienced. Many tasks can be – and are – delegated to paralegals and other staff while under the proper supervision of an attorney. Sometimes a client will ask a legal question of a paralegal but the staff will respond with, “You need to discuss that with the attorney.” This is not due to a reluctance to help or necessarily a lack of knowledge; instead, it is due to this law that a non-attorney cannot provide a client with legal advice. They can, however, repeat directions from the lawyer.
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The information presented on this website is general in nature and not intended to be legal advice. No attorney-client relationship will exist with JKS, LLC unless we agree in writing after a personal consultation. Please contact us for a consultation on your particular situation
