Power Sellers Unite

elgato · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 17240 Location: Texas

PROVIDENCE — The state Supreme Court has determined that a Texas-based paralegal service that advertised on the Internet to drum up business has engaged in the unauthorized practice of law in Rhode Island.

David Curtin, the court’s chief disciplinary counsel, said Low Cost Paralegal Services, whose last known address was in San Antonio, Texas, and its owner, Dominique M. Salazar, also known as Michelle Salazar, were advertising low-cost legal services on craigslist and other Internet sites.

Curtin said Salazar is not an attorney and although she had an e-mail address of attorney2be2012, “I don’t think she ever was in law school.”

Curtin said Salazar was trying to solicit business in Rhode Island by offering “a complete divorce for a $400 flat fee” and other legal services in the areas of adoption, child custody matters, name changes, living wills, wills, power of attorney and deeds.

more.. link to news article

mojavelyn · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 2:43 am Post subject:

Here's the problem I have with this story....

Curtin said Salazar is not an attorney and although she had an e-mail address of attorney2be2012, “I don’t think she ever was in law school.”

You do not have to go to law school to be an attorney. You only have to pass the bar. I personally know a judge here in my town who clerked for her husband who was a licensed attorney who had put himself thru law school in the Los Angeles area doing bit parts in movies. Ruth never went to law school, passed the bar, and was eventually elected judge.

the clerks and paralegals do the grunt work for the attorney.

Most of the services this person is doing wold be preformed by the clerks or paralegals in the office.

Name changes, wills, living wills POA and deeds only require the proper forms, and fees to the courts.

In most states, if there are no disputes in the divorce, and both parties are amicable, you can buy a do it yourself kit at the stationary store. And this can include child custody, child support, and alimony. In other words, if you and your spouse want a divorce, and you have all the property divided out, support payments with COLA increases, you can go up yourselves without a lawyer, and go before the judge and say.. "here is our planned agreement and we want a divorce." its really that smple. Just file the papers at the courthouse, pay the fees and then appear before the judge.

Same with a name change. Get the proper form, pay the fee.

Ever go to a hospital and the "end of life" thingy. that only has to be notarized. and you give a copy to the hospital so they have orders on hand for DNR or organ harvesting.

Of course, Rhode Island might have stricter laws. But Remember ... Lincoln was a lawyer and he didn't go to law school either.