Local efforts to address issues related to access to legal services

Yesterday I wrote about the debate at a national level on proposals to change certain aspects of the regulation of the profession.  Today I have news about developments at a local level.

First, there is a Washington D.C. Bar committee press release announcing a review regarding the potential relaxing of that jurisdiction’s non-lawyer law firm ownership rules, including potential fee sharing/splitting.  The January 23, 2020 D.C. Bar press release announcing the review is available here.  For more details go here.

Second, the New Mexico Supreme Court recently endorsed proposals to expand civil legal services in the state, particularly to lower- and middle-income residents and those living in rural areas.  The proposals were based on recommendations from the New Mexico Supreme Court-established Ad Hoc Licensed Legal Technicians Workgroup, which recently released an Innovation to Address the Access to Justice Gap report. For details and links go here.