Michelle Cummings looks forward to this spring, when she expects to take on her first law client. By then, the Auburn, Washington, resident will have completed her studies and taken the state licensing examination. Provided she passes, she will begin practicing right away.
Cummings’ story could be that of any number of new lawyers looking forward to finishing law school and taking the first fledgling steps of their careers. But Cummings is not attending law school—at least not as lawyers know it—and she has no plans to become a lawyer.
Rather, Cummings is on a historic path to become one of Washington’s (and the nation’s) first limited license legal technicians. These nonlawyers will be licensed by the state to provide legal advice and assistance to clients in certain areas of law without the supervision of a lawyer.
