Arizona Legal Paraprofessional

Can I practice law in Arizona without a JD?

The State of Arizona now allows non-lawyers to provide legal services in a limited capacity through its new Legal Paraprofessional (LP) license. The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University has a history of educating and preparing practice-ready attorneys. Through the ASU Law Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program, students will have access to the expert faculty and curricular resources to provide non-lawyer, limited legal practitioners the knowledge, expertise and preparation needed to be eligible for licensure.

The limited practice areas include:

Criminal law;
Family law;
Juvenile law;
Limited jurisdiction civil law; and
State administrative law

ASU Law's MLS program provides students with the courses and knowledge to meet the Arizona Legal Paraprofessional eligibility requirements and prepare for mandatory exams. Once a license is obtained, Legal Paraprofessionals will be able to provide legal advice and assistance to clients in the permitted practice areas, including client representation in court.

Explore the possibilities of an MLS with an emphasis in Arizona Legal Paraprofessional further on ASU Law Talks.

Coursework

Students must complete three core courses plus whatever specific additional courses are required for the limited practice area in which they plan to pursue licensure:

LP Core Courses (applicable to all tracks):

SDO 598 – Professional Responsibility (Emphasis Core)
SDO 598 – Legal Writing and Research (Emphasis Core)
SDO 544 – Evidence (Emphasis Core)

For the administrative law track:

SDO 511 – Administrative Agencies and Regulations (Track Core)

For the criminal law track:

SDO 515 – Criminal Law (Track Core)

For the family law and civil practice tracks:

SDO 549 – Family Law (Track Core)
SDO 598 – Federal Civil Procedure (Track Core)
SDO 598 – Arizona Civil Procedure (Track Core)

For the juvenile law track:

SDO 598 – Juvenile Law (Track Core)

Prospective students

This one-year program is aimed at students who intend to practice law in a limited capacity pursuant to Arizona’s Legal Paraprofessional rules. Refer to the link above – Arizona Code Of Judicial Administration – to access the Arizona Code of Judicial Administration Section E(3)(b)(9)(d)(i-iv) and license procedure(s). Below are a few of the characteristics prospective students may have for this emphasis:

Current career field/position – Arizona-based Paralegal, Social Worker, Counselor, Guardian Ad Litem, Victim’s Advocate, Child and Family Protection Advocate, Landlord, Residential/Commercial Property Manager, Business Owner, Social Justice Warrior
Desired career field/position – Licensed Limited Legal Paraprofessional
Interests – Law, Criminal Justice, Access to Justice, Family Law, Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Landlord/Tenant
Demographics – Anyone with a bachelor’s degree or a foreign law degree

Skills obtained in these courses apply directly to the Legal Paraprofessional field. However, like our other MLS emphases, the skills learned can also be applied to any industry and will be excellent options for our Contracts and Compliance emphases students, and/or our Human Resources and Employment Law degree students.

Arizona Code of Judicial Administration

Including ACJA § 7-210

The Code of Judicial Administration is a compilation of policies and procedures for the administration of all Arizona courts. Click below to view the Code of Judicial Administration.

View code

Legal Paraprofessionals (LP) frequently asked questions

What is a Legal Paraprofessional (LP)?
Can I apply to be a Legal Paraprofessional?
Can I register for the LP exam?
What areas of practice are allowed for an LP?
What kinds of services are LPs authorized to perform?
What is required to sit for the LP examination and to apply for a license?
Where can I find information on the requirements to obtain an LP license, LP areas of practice, LP scope of practice and LP ethical requirements?
Does the public support the concept of Legal Paraprofessional?
Where can I get more information?

LP questions and answers

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