NCJ Number
76739
Date Published
1979
Length
326 pages
Annotation
Presentations from the Canadian National Workshop on Paralegalism deal primarily with the roles, functions, training, and future of public sector paralegalism in Canada.
Abstract
One address notes that the reduced access of high-cost legal services to middle- and low-income persons shows a growing need for the paralegal as a low-cost legal practitioner to perform routine legal services. Developments cited in the use of community legal workers are as legal assistants, lay advocates, community organizers, indigenous community leaders, and communicators of legal information. Another presentation delineates the essential characteristics of two intertwined professions -- the lawyer and the community legal services paralegal worker -- and comments on the value and place of professional attitudes toward paralegalism; it also considers areas of unauthorized practice for paralegals. Issues related to the professionalization of paralegals are identified in another paper, including such topics as the protection of the paralegal-client relationship, the legal authorization of paralegal practice, the extent of legal liability and financial accountability for paralegal activity, and the continued development of the paralegal's role in the delivery of legal services. Other topics discussed are the roles and functions of public sector paralegals from the perspective of paralegals, and the development of paralegals in the United States. Training issues are prominent in many of the presentations. Appended are descriptions of paralegal involvement in specific public sector-legal aid programs, descriptions of paralegal training program, and a policy statement on legal assistants issued by the Law Society of British Columbia and the Canadian Bar-British Columbia branch. Footnotes are provided for most articles. For individual papers, see NCJ 76740-47.