Self-Help Legal Services Organization to Host Roundtable Discussion to Help the "Average Joe" be the Best Lawyer He Can be

Alliance of Legal Document Assistant Professionals (ALDAP) to host event to help California registered legal document preparers establish themselves as experienced professionals on the cutting edge of the self-help legal movement.

San Diego, CA, July 31, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The California State Bar’s 82nd Annual Meeting, on September 10-13 in San Diego, offers a wealth of educational, informational and networking opportunities for the entire legal community – lawyers, paralegals and legal document assistants (LDAs), alike. To make the most of this event, the Alliance of Legal Document Assistant Professionals (ALDAP) is hosting another crowd-pleasing LDA Roundtable discussion on Friday, September 11 at 6:30 p.m. in San Diego.

The Bar’s daytime MCLE sessions covering new developments in the law, legal technology, and guidance for solo attorneys (handily lending itself to the solo LDA juggling the demands of entrepreneurship while keeping abreast of changes in legal forms and procedures) will seamlessly transition into a lively LDA discussion of Helping Your Clients be the Best Lawyers They Can Be: Tips to Enhance Your LDA Practice and Successfully Carve Out Your Niche as the Go-To Resource for Do-It-Yourselfers.

“This event offers registered legal document preparers a unique opportunity to establish themselves as experienced professionals on the cutting edge of the self-help legal movement,” said Suzanne Ervine, ALDAP vice president and a registered legal document assistant based in San Diego. “The courts have made progress toward improving access to justice for all citizens, but self-represented litigants continue to face a huge void when it comes to figuring out exactly how to navigate their way through the legal system. The professional legal document assistant fills that void.”

Rarely does the typical LDA client need assistance solely with legal form preparation. They often have a host of questions about both substantive and procedural law. This Roundtable discussion will show non-attorney, “self-help” legal service providers how to take their LDA practice to the next level by sharing the tools and techniques necessary to turn a document preparation business into a comprehensive self-help legal service that empowers consumers to direct their own legal cases.

Attendance at the Bar events is not required to participate in ALDAP’s LDA Roundtable. Non-attorney legal service providers are encouraged to participate even if they are not attending the Bar’s daytime MCLE events. There is no charge to attend the LDA Roundtable, however participants must purchase their own food and beverages. The Roundtable will take place at El Torito located at 445 Camino Del Rio South in San Diego’s Mission Valley. Seating is limited, so be sure to RSVP as soon as possible. For more information or to RSVP, contact Suzanne Ervine at VicePresident@aldap.org or (619) 567-5176.

The Alliance of Legal Document Assistant Professionals is a California non-profit, mutual benefit corporation serving registered Legal Document Assistants and freelance paralegal/LDA dual-professionals. ALDAP’s mission is to promote the integrity of the LDA profession, generate awareness about non-attorney legal service providers, protect the public by educating consumers about self-representation and the unauthorized practice of law, promoting professional responsibility, and integrating LDA services with the legal community and the general public. For more information, visit http://www.aldap.org.

ALDAP created the LDA Roundtable as a forum to discuss topics related to the LDA and contract paralegal professions, and to enable self-help legal service professionals to get the answers they need and share their knowledge in a pleasant environment.

About California Registered Legal Document Assistants (LDAs):
A legal document assistant, or LDA, is an experienced professional who is authorized under California law to prepare legal documents for consumers at the direction of the client. An LDA is not an attorney and cannot provide legal advice or represent a client in court. The legal document assistant fills a critical role in our judicial system, enabling individuals to represent themselves in their own legal matters, with the help of a qualified professional legal document preparer to ensure their papers are properly prepared, filed and served. Legal document assistants are required by law to be registered and file a bond of $25,000 in the county where they have their principal place of business. LDAs are sometimes incorrectly referred to as “independent paralegals.” However, California law restricts the term “paralegal” to those who are employed by an attorney.

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Contact
Alliance of Legal Document Assistant Professionals
Suzanne Ervine
619-567-5176
http://www.aldap.org
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