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Bridging Justice: Colorado’s LLP Trailblazers

The fourth LinkedIn Live Virtual Panel hosted by Modern Family Law brought together trailblazing Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals (LLPs) in Colorado to discuss the groundbreaking LLP program. Featuring Sarah Bella and Janet Price of Modern Family Law, alongside Cindi Gregory (Robinson & Henry), Susan Harris (Law Office of Greg Quimby), and Meghan Flanagan (The Drexler Law Group), this panel highlighted the transformative journey of LLPs. With insightful discussions about their roles, challenges, and opportunities, the event illuminated how LLPs are bridging the gap in access to affordable legal representation for underserved communities.

Watch The Full Discussion


Dive deeper into the transformative stories and insights shared by Colorado’s trailblazing Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals (LLPs) during this engaging LinkedIn Live event. Led by Modern Family Law’s Sarah Bella, this panel explores the challenges, successes, and future of the LLP program. Hear directly from the pioneers shaping affordable legal access and learn how they’re bridging the justice gap for underserved communities. Watch the full conversation below to gain valuable perspectives on this groundbreaking initiative!

Recap Of Key Thoughts & Insights


Throughout the discussion, several key themes emerged as the panelists shared their perspectives:

1. Empowering Clients Through Affordable Representation:

Janet Price shared a heartwarming story of helping a client move from feeling “invisible” to “empowered.” Her ability to guide clients through complex legal processes at a lower cost demonstrated the profound impact LLPs can have on individuals who may otherwise be unable to afford legal representation.

2. A Seamless Transition From Paralegal To LLP:

Many panelists, including Meghan Flanagan, emphasized the challenges and rewards of stepping out from the supportive role of a paralegal into the responsibility-laden position of an LLP. With enhanced autonomy, LLPs can directly assist clients, providing both strategic guidance and emotional support.

3. Closing The Justice Gap:

Cindi Gregory highlighted the critical access-to-justice mission driving her transition to LLP. Her volunteer efforts in pro bono clinics underscored how LLPs provide legal services to individuals who fall into the “justice gap”—those who cannot afford traditional attorney fees but do not qualify for free legal aid.

4. A New Tier Of Legal Service:

Susan Harris described how LLPs streamline legal services, cutting out unnecessary steps for clients while reducing costs. This efficiency enables clients to access professional assistance without the financial strain of traditional attorney fees, creating a more accessible pathway to justice.

5. Misconceptions And Growing Acceptance:

The panelists addressed common misconceptions, such as LLPs being perceived as competition for attorneys. They stressed that LLPs complement traditional legal services by focusing on cases where full attorney representation may not be necessary, leaving attorneys to handle more complex cases.

6. The Future Of LLPs:

Panelists expressed optimism about the program’s growth. They noted how Colorado’s initiative is inspiring other states, including Texas and Minnesota, to consider similar programs. Expansion into other practice areas, such as probate, was also highlighted as a future opportunity.

Conclusion


The LLP program in Colorado is a beacon of hope for individuals seeking affordable and effective legal assistance. This pioneering initiative is not only transforming lives but also reshaping the legal profession by bridging the justice gap and providing innovative solutions for underserved communities. Thank you to Sarah Bella, Cindi Gregory, Susan Harris, Meghan Flanagan, and Janet Price for their invaluable insights and dedication to this mission. As the program continues to grow, the legal community eagerly anticipates the positive ripple effects of this transformative initiative across Colorado and beyond.

Read The Full Conversation


If you’re eager to dive deeper into this enlightening discussion, we’ve made the full transcript available for you. Explore the detailed dialogue between Colorado’s pioneering LLPs as they share their journeys, challenges, and vision for the future of the LLP program. Gain a firsthand look at the impactful stories and insights shaping access to justice in Colorado.

Full Transcript

Sarah Bella: Okay, it looks like we are live now. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the LLP virtual panel. This is our fourth monthly LLP meeting round table for the masses. Thank you so much for joining us. We’re very, very excited today. We are actually outnumbered here at Modern Family Law with LLPs from other firms. We are so thrilled to see that. I’d like to start off with some introductions. Cindi, if you would like to lead us off, that would be wonderful.

Cindi Gregory: Yes. Hi, my name is Cindi Gregory. I’m an LLP at Robinson and Henry. I’m currently working in the Colorado Springs South office.

Sarah Bella: Susan?

Susan Harris: Hi, I’m Susan Harris. I’m also an LLP, at the law office of Greg Quimby in Colorado Springs.

Sarah Bella: Welcome, welcome. Megan?

Meghan Flanagan: I am also an LLP, I am at the Drexler Law Group in Colorado Springs.

Sarah Bella: Great. And Janet?

Janet Price: Hi. Hi, I’m Janet. I am an LLP, and I’m with Modern Family Law and the Denver office.

Sarah Bella: Wonderful. We do have quite the representation of El Paso County here today, which I’m very glad to see. Hopefully, we can reach further north, south, east, and west, outside of the Denver metro area, and hit all of the communities that really might need our services that don’t know about them, especially in the rural areas. Thank you all El Paso County for joining us and for supporting us. Thanks to Modern Family Law for creating this platform. And as you can see, it’s not just for Modern Family Law LLPs, it is for the LLP program as a whole, and we cannot wait to have more LLPs. We know yesterday was the second LLP test, so hopefully we will be having more LLPs joining our ranks probably … Is it going to be December? Maybe January.

Janet Price: I think it’s sworn in January.

Sarah Bella: January.

Janet Price: Yeah.

Sarah Bella: That’ll be great. It will start off the new year with new LLPs. Just to get started a little bit, we are now five months into the LLP program. Janet, since it’s launched in June, how have you felt the program is going for you? Have you experienced any big challenges or anything that you would like to bring to light about representation from an LLP versus an attorney?

Janet Price: I think one of the biggest things and not surprising, is a lot of people don’t know what an LLP is and what an LLP can do. And so for the clients that I’ve talked to, once they find out what an LLP is and what they can do, they’re excited about it. They’re happy to learn that there is somebody other than just a document preparer, that there actually can get legal representation and it’s going to go all the way through to the end of the case until final orders are entered. The fact that LLPs are going to be more cost-effective for them, they’re really happy about that. Divorces or any legal thing is not an inexpensive process. And so being able to save some of their resources money-wise to do other things is … They’ve been really happy with that.

Sarah Bella: That’s wonderful. Have you had a memorable moment, something that has really stuck out that maybe a client has said to you regarding having an LLP on their case versus potentially representing themselves on their own because they couldn’t afford representation?

Janet Price: Yeah, I do. I have a client right now that when they hired me, they had already agreed that they were going to split up. They knew that they were going to get divorced, they had filed jointly together. There were a lot of things that they agreed on. One of the bigger issues that clients a lot of times have, they had already set up a parenting plan and their child was thriving with that parenting plan. There were a couple of other issues though that they were sticking on. When they retained me, the court issued a delay prevention order because they hadn’t done anything. They’d signed off on the petition when they filed, and that’s the only thing that they had done. And so the fact that it was cost-effective was really important for them, but they were really relieved when I basically took them by the hand and said, “Okay, this is what needs to be done. We’re going to do this and we’ll get all of that done.”

We went to mediation, got a full resolution, and then after the mediation the mediator sent out the MOU. We had put together all of the final documents and everything else and we’re signing off on those. And they said to me, “I didn’t think I was ever going to get through this. When I first started, I felt overwhelmed and pretty much invisible. I didn’t feel that anybody was listening to me.”

And at the end, they said they felt empowered and they were just really happy that they were able to get through it all without feeling like a truck had run them over. Yeah, it’s been really positive. Yeah.

Sarah Bella: That’s amazing that they felt from invisible to empowered. That’s huge. And I think even as LLPs and even as paralegals, we know those deadlines can just run us over. And if you miss one, it just stacks and then it just keeps going. What a huge compliment to you, Janet, as an LLP, for them to go from being invisible to being invincible. That is wonderful to hear.

Janet Price: Yeah.

Sarah Bella: What has been your most surprising aspect of transitioning from LLP to … I’m sorry, from paralegal to LLP?

Janet Price: Modern Family Law has totally embraced the whole LLP thing. When I first started at Modern Family Law, it was even before the first exam was given. I was a paralegal when I first started here but the transition was … It was effortlessly. It was effortless, everything was effortless. There are many different levels. There were people who worked with the LLPs in the firm to develop some of the skills that they needed to continue on, because you may have been a paralegal, you may have been drafting all of these documents, you may have been doing all of this before and you may have been doing it for a lot of time, but now the full burden of everything is on your shoulders. And so there’s stuff you need to learn to work with and how to deal with that stuff. On every level, there were people here at the firm who were working with us and saying, “You’ve got this. This is how you’re going to get it done. And go out there and make your mark on the world.”

It’s been really great.

Sarah Bella: Yeah, I can second that. We’re lucky to have the support that we do have and we’re lucky to have so many paralegals from El Paso County today. Megan, I’d like to ask a couple of questions of you. Why did you decide to transition from paralegal to LLP, and what has been the biggest challenge in your professional life so far?

Meghan Flanagan: I actually made that decision a while ago to transition because this has been on the horizon for so long, the LLP. After doing this for 20 years, after a while, it was a thought and then the thought became solid. I’ve been wanting to do it for way before they even opened applications. I think a common misconception for any LLP or paralegal is that you’re it because you can’t become an attorney. I had wanted to work within the community, to offer my services, do pro bono work, and really volunteer. Because over the years as a paralegal, you see that middle ground, they don’t qualify for pro bono services, they cannot afford an attorney. And we’re dealing with real cases when there are children involved, there’s domestic violence, and they really need an attorney.

The biggest change has really just been I think, more work in some ways, which is good. I feel the LLP cases that I have, I have to put a lot more into them than I have before. I’ve always been in the shadow of the attorney but now I’m the one having to respond. I’m the one having to figure out what to do when the client’s freaking out and calling. They’re calling me now, so that’s been different. That’s been a change. And also really navigating it, because I continue to do paralegal cases on more high-asset type cases with an attorney. I’m juggling between I’m an LLP here, I’m a paralegal here. That’s been a little struggle.

Sarah Bella: Okay, that’s fair. There are a lot of LLP tasks that do transition back and forth from paralegal, and most of us don’t want to leave our clients. We don’t want to hand them off to anybody, even if it’s an attorney. We want to make sure our client is feeling safe and secure with us when it’s outside of our scope. Having that paralegal background I think, is a very important part of being an LLP. And you’re right, It is a little … It can get a little bit tricky. I’m really glad that you brought that up. What types of cases are you seeing that are well-suited for LLPs?

Meghan Flanagan: I think a lot of cases are well suited for them when you have lower assets probably when you’ve got cases where people either have one income or a low income. And that’s really what the LLP program was built for, because you see being a paralegal, some of these contested cases when they have an attorney, you’re going up over a hundred thousand dollars in legal fees. Sometimes people don’t agree when they are getting a divorce but they don’t want to do a mediated divorce. You can maybe as an LLP, come in and help them to get to an agreement on stuff. I feel my clients right now are a lot of younger clients, maybe not as long-term marriage clients. That’s happening a lot. I do have a couple of them that are longer-term marriages but I do see it a lot with lower assets right now.

Sarah Bella: Great. That’s what we were intended for, to be able to bridge that gap between pro bono and full-on representation. And that gap is very big, and it just feels like it’s getting bigger and bigger with the way the economy is. I think that the younger crowd is definitely going to be aimed more LLP-ish, which is great. We don’t want to see divorce, but we know that it’s out there and it happens. And I am glad that we are able to provide some assistance to people who don’t qualify or can’t get an attorney. What about enhancements at your firm as a whole? What would you like to see LLP services provide more of or open to, just what your firm would be open to?

Meghan Flanagan: One of the things with the firm that I’m at, I do have another LLP in the firm so we do have two, is that they’ve really been supportive of this not just at our office but in the community. And I think we’re seeing that with Modern Family Law, Robinson Henry, some of these bigger firms that can employ several LLPS are really helping. Right now it’s hard to say what we’re looking for in the future because we just hit the ground running, but I think ultimately we would like to have more LLPS to basically offer more services to people so when they’re calling in to get a consult, it’s not just an attorney that’s available for them. But I do appreciate the support that I have at the firm that I’m at and that they are supportive of my fellow LLPS and incoming LLPS. It’s good to have that inclusion and I think they are helping like many of these other firms with getting attorneys to understand what we are and respect us, by having other attorneys respect us and stand up for us and be like, “Hey, I’m supportive of the LLP program.”

I think that’s really huge. But honestly, going into the new year, I think it’s all dependent on how this goes. I haven’t completed a case yet because I’ve only been on a couple of cases because I only got sworn in in June, so [inaudible 00:13:39] look later so we’ll see. It’s been positive. I think none of my clients have even questioned it. I’m like, “Do you have any questions about what I told you about LLP?”

And they’re just like, “No, I’m good.”

They’ve been nice. I think it’s been very positive so far.

Sarah Bella: Excellent. That’s great. And you mentioned the community being behind you, which is a perfect transition to my questions for Cindi. Cindi recently presented at the El Paso County Family Bar, correct?

Cindi Gregory: Yes, at the Family Law Conference.

Sarah Bella: At the Family Law Conference in El Paso County. Can you tell us a little bit about how that went, how they reached out to you, or anything you’d like to share about that?

Cindi Gregory: Sure, sure. I am the chair of the El Paso County LLP section. I have presented at the family law conference before in my capacity as a paralegal because I’m also the president of the Pikes Peak Paralegals. I’ve presented before. Once we got our LLP section up and running, the bar asked us to present the LLP program to the attorneys in El Paso County, which is important because I think a lot of attorneys haven’t looked at the program or seen what we can and can’t do, what we can provide to not only the community but to the firms themselves. I think it’s just a new thing. We’re just trying to educate the community, we’re trying to educate fellow legal minds and let them know that we’re not a threat to them, we’re here to help. We’re not here to take anything from them. I think that’s the biggest thing.

Sarah Bella: Yeah, that’s a great point. And I’ve mentioned it before, but we’re in the unfortunately fortunate position to not have a lack of family law clients. They’re out there, there are so many that do need help. It’s not a matter of lack in family law, unfortunately. But I agree, I agree. There’s definitely room and … More room for the incoming LLPs and more to come, hopefully. What was it that made you want to transition into that designation as an LLP from paralegal?

Cindi Gregory: I think what really opened my eyes was I volunteer a lot with the pro bono clinics in the county. And so seeing so many individuals that don’t have access to attorneys or legal advice that can help them through this process, and I think that that was the big thing that pushed me, knowing that all of these years of experience that I have can actually help someone out that doesn’t necessarily have access to that. The access to justice piece is what really got me into it.

Sarah Bella: I would have to agree with that. Yeah, that’s a big thing. I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m in that justice gap. I’m like, “Here, move in here.”

But it’s such a wide gap, so very glad to hear that you’re also volunteering, as we all should be when we have the time and capacity. It’s wonderful. I couldn’t promote it more, especially Metro Volunteer Lawyers always, they’ve been wonderful with the LLP program really promoting us, really trying to get us in to volunteer and get that experience. And it’s been great. They’re wonderful and so supportive there. Have you faced any challenges as an LLP?

Cindi Gregory: I think probably the biggest challenge is what Megan touched on earlier, is just people not knowing about us, the community not understanding that we’re here. It’s such a new program, so when I talk to people, a lot of people don’t understand or don’t even know what an LLP is. I did have someone say when I asked them, “Do you know what an LLP is?”

And they’re like, “Well, that’s a business.”

No. Yes, but … “What I’m saying is we’re licensed legal paraprofessionals.”

I explained the program what services we can provide and how we can help them through the situation that they find themselves in. And so just having the community and everybody embrace us and just learning about the program, so the more we can educate, the better we’ll be.

Sarah Bella: Absolutely. And has Robinson Henry helped you along?

Cindi Gregory: Absolutely. Yeah, they have been amazing. They are so 150% into this program. We’re hoping to extend our ability to provide more LLPs once we get more licensed. Yeah, Robinson and Henry have been phenomenal, giving me every opportunity, anything that I need, anything I ask for, they give it to me. It’s been amazing.

Sarah Bella: That’s wonderful, that’s wonderful to hear. Susan, you’re up. Can you talk a little bit about how you feel you’ve been as an LLP at providing effective legal services to families who are facing the typical challenges that we do see?

Susan Harris: Yeah. I think the I guess, oversimplification of it is things feel so streamlined, both for me and the client. And I think both sides of that coin are thrilled about it. Rather than a client calling in with a question that I know the answer to but can’t answer because I don’t have a license to practice, “I have to go ask your attorney.”

Rather than them having to wait for the answer and then incur the fees of asking me the question, me talking to the attorney, me going back to them, and then telling them the answer, we cut out that middle person, so faster, a little bit cheaper. And something they don’t tell you when you become a family law paralegal is that you often become a de facto therapist. And generally, every attorney I’ve worked with, even the most empathetic, they’re not necessarily wanting to serve that role, in part because they’re thinking, “Don’t pay me this rate for therapizing you and letting you vent. I just need the facts to get you to the goal in your case.”

And so I can now serve both of those roles. I can be the empathetic ear and I … Of course, I’m using the word therapize very loosely. It’s not a substitution for an actual therapist.

Sarah Bella: Maybe not, no.

Susan Harris: We get so much of the information that then we call down for the attorney as a paralegal. Now, another example of streamlining things, and we’ve already touched on the increase in access to justice for folks, the last statistic I saw was that about 75% or so of family law cases in Colorado are self-represented. And I think that in part is funds related. Some people just also unfortunately have maybe a bad stigma about attorneys. And so I think offering this additional tier of service can give other people more … Just more options too. You don’t necessarily need to go to a neurosurgeon for a routine sinus infection. You can go to your nurse practitioner for that. And so the same thing here, you can sometimes get in faster and at a lesser rate, save more money for your family.

Sarah Bella: Yeah, yeah. I agree with everything you said. Sometimes you just don’t need to see the doctor, which is not necessary. Sometimes you do [inaudible 00:21:30] when you do, but in the times that you don’t and we can streamline it, I agree. It’s amazing to be able to offer that to people. We touched on the test yesterday with the LLPs, somebody asked a question, and I believe 32 new people took the LLP yesterday, so congratulations to them. Susan, what advice would you give any aspiring LLP?

Susan Harris: Trust yourself. You have to have as much faith in yourself as the people who love you and support you. And so don’t let those doubts creep in and hold you back. Also, soak up everything in your every day. I’ve been fortunate to work for firms where the paralegals are way beyond administrative duties, we’re case managers, we’re talking to the clients,and  we’re a part of the strategizing. And while of course, the attorney in those relationships was making the decisions ultimately, it didn’t go without input from the paralegal. And so while I was … It was a fun juxtaposition of studying for the exam and then applying those studies of, “Okay, I’m studying separate property and making those claims and contribution, etc.”

And then having a case where that’s the biggest issue in the case. And so I do think one of the biggest challenges for the LLP exam that I would venture to say is not necessarily a challenge for the majority of law students, students coming out of law school and taking the bar, if you think traditional student, is that based upon the qualifications we have to have, most of us, if not all of us LLPs, are working. We’re studying for this professional exam while working most likely a full-time job. And if you’re in family law, [inaudible 00:23:42] it’s busy, it’s fast-paced. There are a million deadlines you have to track. And so that is one of the challenges. And I try to look at my day-to-day like that, of, “Okay, this is also studying. The time I’m spending on this case is helping me prepare for the exam.”

I was fortunate enough to have a lot of support within my office too, and I hope that everyone else gets that. I have heard from some that they don’t necessarily have that internally. If you do, please communicate with your team and let them know what you need. “Hey, we just finished this big prep on a trial and I haven’t been able to study for a week. I need some time to do that.”

And figure that out with them. Pick their brains on things. One of the challenges for us as a first cohort was we didn’t really have a whole lot of practice essays for it. I felt like I was going a little bit blind on that. We talked through some of those things with the attorneys. And in that same vein of reaching out, reach out to other paralegals, reach out to other LLPs. I have had a few people reach out wanting to just know more about it and know what I’m talking about now of, “Here were my challenges, here’s what I wished I had more [inaudible 00:25:10].”

Reach out for that. Specifically, I love this question, this is my jam. I love mentoring paralegals. Go to your local paralegal groups. In El Paso County, we have Pikes Peak paralegals. And I’d say I guess, Denver area, Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association. Both are fantastic groups, I’m a part of both, and very supportive. And my last thing is, some people might think it’s cheesy, but really your self-care. Again, if you’re taking this test, you’re probably working too. And man, burnout’s real. It’s a challenge, I won’t lie, to work all day in family law and then go home and study more family law. Do build in those times for rest. I am a believer that you need to rest your brain for it to absorb more. You’ve got to re-energize it for it to be able to pick up more. Do find ways to [inaudible 00:26:08] whatever that is for you.

Sarah Bella: Yeah. I think DoorDash got very concerned about me after I passed the LLP and I didn’t need them anymore, like, “I think she’s starving. We haven’t heard from her in a couple of days, we better go check on her.”

It is a very time-consuming process, but it is very well worth it.

Susan Harris: Yes.

Sarah Bella: That segues directly into opening questions up to all of you. Where do you see the future of the LLP profession going, and how do you think it’s going to shape access to justice? Anybody can jump in.

Meghan Flanagan: I would say not just like the LLP program for family law, but I feel we’re going to be following in the steps of Arizona which is expanding. And I am hopeful that the next expansion can go into probate. I think that is a huge, huge area that is in a big need for people. I think that going forward, as we move forward in family law, I think they’re going to open it up for other areas. But I also feel as the years go by with two tests a year, we’re probably going to see a lot more LLPs coming into the field.

Sarah Bella: I hope that’s the case.

Cindi Gregory: There are also a lot of other states that are coming on board too. Since we’ve taken the exam, I believe Texas and Minnesota both have started the process of getting a similar program. I see that most of the states will probably end up following suit. A lot of them are probably sitting back to see how everybody else does things. But I know that when Judge Arkin started working on all of this stuff, she really looked at, and the other players that got this program up to speed, she really looked at all the other states and how they were doing things and tried to take the good pieces about from each state.

Sarah Bella: That’s great. Judge Arkin has always been such a huge supporter of us. Definitely shout out to Judge Arkin and everything she’s done for this program. It’s been amazing. We have a question, what clients are we typically working with and how do they differ from those we’ve worked with as paralegals versus now as LLPs? And I think we touched on that a little bit, but if anybody would like to expand, please do.

Janet Price: I think sometimes it’s the same clients that we worked with, the same type of clients that we worked with as paralegals that we’re getting as LLPs. I don’t know that there’s necessarily going to be a difference. There are certain things that LLPs can’t do in a case, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t work with those clients as well, maybe alongside an attorney or the attorney can come in when needed or whatever. But I think from what I’ve had so far, they’re the same clients that I have as an LLP that I worked with as a paralegal.

Sarah Bella: I agree. Go ahead.

Cindi Gregory: I’m sorry. No, I was going to agree with Janet. I’m seeing the same thing, the same types of cases and clients that I’ve had previously as a paralegal.

Susan Harris: Same. There are those that I don’t know that the attorney will ever touch because I’ll be able to resolve it without the need for an attorney, which obviously is a change. But then some walk in the door, you know from day one you’re going to end up in a courtroom, despite how many efforts otherwise. And for me, it’s a little bit … It’s the same cases but doing a lot more on the front end and then almost handing it over to the attorney.

Sarah Bella: Yeah.

Meghan Flanagan: I think for me though, a lot of my cases right now, I do have co-counsel on them. The difference for me is working with the attorneys I’ve worked with for years but in the capacity as an LLP, and we’re navigating how we’re going to handle this case because I’ve played one specific role in a case and I know how that attorney wants things, I know how this needs to be done. And now I’m co-counseling and I’m making decisions and talking with this attorney. That’s the difference between me with the clients. And I do have one client who signed on for the LLP I was the paralegal on the case and now I’m an LLP on the case. It was an interesting dynamic because she had known me for years as her paralegal. She did trust me on her case because I did know the case. It was an interesting transition to, “Okay. Well, now you can ask me a question. I can answer you and not have to wait.”

Sarah Bella: That’s so true. It’s different to be able to go into that role. And I’m so glad you brought up the fact that we do and can co-counsel with attorneys if an attorney is open to that. It sounds like that’s something that your firm is open to, which is a wonderful program to have both available … Ready and available, ready to go, on the case from the start. I love hearing about that. What do you think the biggest misconception about what LLPs are is right now?

Meghan Flanagan: Case stealers, money stealers. I think that’s what is [inaudible 00:31:30].

Cindi Gregory: You said it, Meghan.

Meghan Flanagan: Yeah. You get a lot of the … It’s mostly coming from attorneys, that we’re not educated. We don’t have the same background as an attorney. And I agree, we do not have the same background as an attorney and that’s why we don’t have a full license. But I do get that misconception that I don’t have the education and training behind me. And I think a lot of us have gotten that over the years just in the paralegal role., You’re a secretary, you get those attorneys that call and don’t want to talk to you about the case because you’re not an attorney, and you couldn’t possibly relay that message to the attorney. I don’t know. That’s just the things I heard, especially when we went to the Family Law Conference in Vail this year. That was one that you did hear a lot of that, that they feel we’re going to take their cases, we’re going to take their money. And I tried to explain to them that like, “Your cases, you’re probably going to go to a hearing and spend thousands of dollars. And we are in the market for those who are possibly not going to a hearing and can’t afford that counsel. We’re getting that middle market .”

Susan Harris: Or just don’t want to spend the money either.

Sarah Bella: Yeah.

Susan Harris: I think what Janet described, sometimes what folks need is to navigate the system. I look at a DPO and I’m like, “Oh, that’s easy to deal with. I know exactly what it says.”

But I can understand a self-represented party looking at it like it’s a tax return, “Well, if it’s this, then do that. But if it’s this other thing, then maybe this or that.”

And so that one-page document can just be so scary to someone who is dividing up their financial life and their family. And if we’re able to just hold their hand and walk them through the process, they don’t need to spend over … Don’t need to spend six figures on that. And those aren’t the cases that attorneys want anyway, they want their paralegals doing them.

Sarah Bella: Yes.

Cindi Gregory: Yeah.

Janet Price: That’s right, that’s right.

Sarah Bella: And I think a lot of it is just that we are still very new. We’re only five months old and we’re still tweaking our own … The 207 rule. We’re still working on that, we’re still tweaking it. We’re seeing the weaknesses, we’re seeing the strengths of it. And I think it’s the same with attorneys. They’re seeing the weaknesses and now they’re seeing the strengths. And I love getting their perspective on the weaknesses so we know how to structure where they think it’s lacking so we can build it up a little bit more there so there’s a bigger, broader understanding of what an LLP does versus what an attorney does.

And you said it wonderfully. We’re not attorneys, we’re LLPs. We need the attorneys to be the attorneys. Hopefully, we’re opening up that market for the attorneys to be able to take the cases that need the representation or to be able to transition our client seamlessly into someone who needs an attorney’s representation versus the LLP. Like you said, you don’t always have to see the doctor but we know when you do. And it’s not a hit to us when we’re like, “Hey, you do need to see … You need an attorney on this. Let’s get you transitioned over, let’s make sure you’re taken care of and then you’re going to come right back to me and we’re going to finish this off.”

Does anybody else want to add anything? You guys have been such a wonderful panel.

Susan Harris: We can also do name changes and gender designations. I haven’t heard much talk about that, but I’m dying for those to come in my door.

Sarah Bella: That’s a great point.

Susan Harris: Bring them my way.

Sarah Bella: Adult name changes. Did you say that?

Susan Harris: Yeah, I did. Yeah, yeah.

Sarah Bella: Adult name changes, yeah, and adult gender designation changes. I think we have answered everyone’s questions at the moment. It’s now 11:35, and I don’t know if I … There we go. Did I freeze up? Technology is so much fun. I just want to thank you all for being here. Thank you El Paso County for showing up and showing out for us. And sounds like the LLP in El Paso County is taking off. And with you guys down there, I can’t imagine that it won’t be incredibly successful. And thank you guys so, so much for being here. Again, thank you to Modern Family Law for allowing us this platform. And does anybody want to say any closing remarks?

Cindi Gregory: I do want to really quick say … I do want to thank Modern Family, just because you guys have really paved the way for us and you guys are really getting out there and promoting the program. And so like you said earlier, it’s not just benefiting the LLPs at Modern Family, but it’s benefiting all of us. We do appreciate everything that Modern Family has been doing for us.

Susan Harris: Yeah, 100%.

Janet Price: Yeah, yeah.

Sarah Bella: I couldn’t agree more. I think that’s the perfect way to end. And again, thank you. Thank you, ladies, so much for being here, thank you for being part of the LLP community. Congratulations to everybody who took the test yesterday, and we look forward to a new year with our new LLPs.

Janet Price: Yeah.

Sarah Bella: Everybody, enjoy the rest of your day, and thanks for being here.

Cindi Gregory: Thank you.

Meghan Flanagan: Thank you.

Susan Harris: Thanks.

Sarah Bella: Bye.

Susan Harris: Bye.

By: MFL Team

Posted November 20, 2024


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