Written by Morgan Newell
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The American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on the Future of Legal Services recently published an issue paper addressing whether alternative business structures (ABS) would benefit consumers in the United States. ABS allows non-lawyers to own and invest in law firms. Currently, practically every U.S. jurisdiction restricts non-lawyers from investing in law firms. The Commission requested responses and data on the benefits and risks of ABS.
 

Written by Morgan Newell

Delaware Governor Jack Markell recently wrote an opinion article urging states to remove many of their professional licensing requirements. License requirements often do more to protect existing service providers than they do to protect consumers. These requirements also leave consumers with fewer options and, therefore, higher prices when seeking services. Gov. Markell specifically discusses how requiring someone assisting an evictee in landlord-tenant court to have a law degree leaves many tenants without any assistance. Gov. Markell formed a committee to “review existing licensing regulations and recommend ways to eliminate unnecessary barriers to entry.”
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Written by James Duffy
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The State Bar of California has established the Governance in the Public Interest Task Force to help improve the public protection function of the State Bar. California law holds the protection of the public as the State Bar’s highest priority. Responsive Law believes that unchecked self-governance by lawyers is not in the interest of the public, and issued comments offering guidelines that would better protect the public.
 

Written by James Duffy
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Recently the American Bar Association’s Commission on the Future of Legal Services published a paper on how to make legal checkups more effective and widely available to the public. Responsive Law believes the guidelines have promise and issued comments on ways the guidelines could further benefit consumers.