Paraega Division
| Publication year | 2024 |
| Citation | Vol. 37 No. 1 Pg. 71 |
| Pages | 71 |
Licensed Paralegal Practitioners - Real World Experience
by Greg Wayment
This conversation was taken from a panel discussion moderated by Tonya Wright at the annual all-day Paralegal Division CLE held on June 16, 2023.
How did you first hear about the LPP program?
Peter Vanderhooft: I heard about it when I was taking courses at Salt Lake Community College. Sharee Laidlaw is a professor there and was talking about it, so this was back in 2017, right before I transitioned from librarianship to paralegal work. I didn't think much of the LPP program at the time. I was like "okay, that sounds cool," but I didn't know how any of the court procedures worked or the practical application of the law; I had to learn that on the job.
Susan Astle: I actually heard about it from a family member. At the time I was considering going to law school. When I learned about the LPP program, I was immediately interested. I thought, "that's exactly what I'd like to do," because I believe we need more legal accessibility. I want more people to be able to get counsel, and so it felt like a perfect fit.
Laura Pennock: I was working here at the Bar in the OPC, and we had a staff meeting, and they said there's a task force that has been formed that they are going to start licensing paralegals in certain practice areas, and it'll probably be up and running within a year. Four years later, I would read the minutes to the steering committee because I was dying for them to do this. I realize that four years is a very short time in which to get this done, start to finish. Kudos to all those who worked on these committees and to the Bar and the supreme court for being willing to just launch without every question answered or contingency covered. I'm one of the first four, so I knew about it very early on and I was like, yes sir! sign me up right this minute.
What has surprised you the most about being an LPP? Laura Pennock: The first thing that really surprised me was when I walked up to the door to meet my first client, how terrified I was. I had done family law for five years. I kind of figured I had some idea of what I was doing... and I realized I really didn't know anything. Why would anyone even talk to me? It was really, really different from being in the back office. It was terrifying.
Tonya Wright: Yeah, I remember my first case too. I was so excited and then I was like, "I know what to do but what should I do?" It was a little intimidating.
Peter Vanderhooft: My first client was a case that I couldn't technically handle on my own. Since I was at a firm, I had one of the partners help me and then I had to kick it to an associate because we had a hearing and the partner was unavailable. Very complicated, very messy, but it was resolved and ever since then I've gotten a little bit more confident. And I found that being an LPP, the benefit isn't necessarily knowing the law and filling out the forms, but it's really knowing what you...
To continue reading
Request your trial