Legal Disclaimer

Ashley Meeks is NOT an attorney licensed in any state including California.  He cannot give ANY legal advice, or represent you in a court of law.            

Legal Document Assistants can provide self help services at the specific direction of the In Pro Per.   

Paralegals can work for attorneys either as an employee or a contract  worker.  Generally, the paralegals job description is left up to the attorney whom they are employed by and often involves legal research, drafting legal motions, mailing correspondence, meeting with the attorneys clients, potential new clients, etc, etc.  As in any trade paralegals all tend to have different skill sets.  In any event all paralegals work  under the  direct supervision of their employer the hiring attorney.   

One of former California Governor Gray Davis's last acts as Governor prior to his being recalled was to change the Paralegal laws in California under the Business & Professions Code.  As the law now reads today Paralegals can ONLY work for attorneys either as an employee or a contract worker, and all work performed by the paralegal  is under the direct supervision of the attorney.   

Subsequently, former Governor Davis's legislation created Legal Document Assistants aka L.D.A.'s.  Many L.D.A.'s are also paralegals and have been so for many years.  However,  today they are wearing  2 different hats depending on whom they are employed by.     

 The primary difference between the duties of a Paralegal v. Legal Document Assistant are this:

•  Paralegals can ONLY work for attorneys and all work done is under the direct supervision of the hiring attorney.

•  Legal document assistants  (L.D.A.) can prepare legal documents at the Self Help litigants and/or In Pro Per's specific direction.  L.D.A.'s are NOT attorneys, and cannot give any legal advice, or represent you in a Court of Law.  Basically an L.D.A. can assist an In Pro Per (one who represent themselves in a Court action) with his legal documents at the In Pro Per's or Self Help Litigants specific direction.

• January 1, 1999 SB1418 became law, and acknowledged Legal Document Assistants as a California profession.   The bill also established the regulations which govern a Legal Document Assistant's responsibilities to the general public.

•                         HOPEFULLY THIS WAS SOMEWHAT HELPFUL.