Having completed all the requirements under the California Business & Professions Code section 6450, I am a Legal Document Assistant under California Law.
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What is a Legal Document Assistant?
Formerly called Independent Paralegals, beginning January 1, 2001, California Law redefined “paralegal” to mean only those that work for and are supervised by attorneys.
A Legal Document Assistant (LDA) is an experienced professional who is authorized under California law to prepare legal documents for consumers. However, an LDA is not an attorney and cannot provide legal advice or represent individuals in court.
LDA’s have the same educational background/requirements as a paralegal and are required by law to be bonded and registered in the county in which they have their principal place of business. Paralegals are not required to be bonded and registered.
I am registered as an LDA in Orange County – LDA #294 which expires 08/01/2015. LDA’s have to re-register every two years.
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What Can a Legal Document Assistant Do?
At a client’s direction, LDAs can complete court forms, helping to avoid pitfalls and making sure that all important details on a form are properly filled in. LDAs may also file forms with the court and have them served. LDAs may supply books and publications authored or approved by attorneys.
LDAs may work directly with the public, without the supervision of an attorney. A paralegal on the other hand, cannot independently prepare documents for consumers and must work under the authority of an attorney.
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What Does This Mean for You?
This means that I will be able to assist you in preparing your Living Trust/Will for a fee significantly less than what you would pay an attorney.
It also means that you will have better service and direct one-on-one access to me rather than having to rely on some software/website prepare your trust without any real assurance that the completed document is accurate and correct.
I have met many people who have decided to purchase software or rely on a website to complete their trust only to discover some crucial element was missing. This was not because the website did anything wrong, it was because the user misunderstood or was confused by the massive amount of information that they had to go through.
–Updated July 3, 2014