Licensing framework
The Law Society is developing a licence to permit paralegals and others to assist the public with certain family legal services, including areas such as process navigation, completion of some forms, and possibly other areas outside the courtroom context.
As this licence is being developed, the Law Society will assess what additional legal services, including advocacy, would be in the public interest for paralegals and others to offer, and will consider how best to move ahead with an expanded licence.
Collaborative development process
The development process for the new licence will be based on the same model used to develop and maintain our current lawyer and paralegal licensing systems. Involvement of legal professionals, including the family law bar and paralegals is essential. Psychometricians will be assisting with the process to ensure the requirements are rigorous and defensible.
The Law Society is currently consulting with a diverse cross-section of family law practitioners, paralegals and other stakeholders. These discussions will assist in defining the knowledge, skills, and abilities that will form the basis of the required education and testing components for the licence.
Timeframe
We anticipate that the development of the first licence will take approximately 24 months and that the licensing process will be open to qualified applicants in early 2020.