On March 17, CBABC responded to the Regulated Paralegal Working Group’s draft recommendations, which propose authorizing regulated paralegals to practise independently under a general licence, with a family law specialization licence also available.
In our submission, CBABC challenged the asserted rationale for regulated paralegals in the proposed areas of practice. CBABC raised concerns that the recommendations rely on incomplete evidence, overlap with established lawyer and notary functions, and underestimate the legal judgement required. Highly technical and complex areas, especially family law matters, require extensive education and competencies equivalent to those of lawyers to protect the interests of the public.
The submission was led by the CBABC Professional Issues Committee, with contributions from the Family Law, Real Estate, Equity Diversity and Inclusion, Court Services and Access to Justice Committees.
Questions? Email us at advocacy@cbabc.org