The Pro Se Quandary

• Jurisdiction: Utah,United States
• Citation: Vol. 23 No. 6 Pg. 8
• Pages: 8
• Publication year: 2010

Utah Bar JournalVolume 23.

Vol. 23, No. 6, 8. The Pro Se Quandary

Utah Bar Journal
Volume 23 No. 6
Nov/Dec 2010

The Pro Se Quandary

by Robert L. Jeffs

On October 13, over 300 new attorneys were admitted to practice in Utah. With the economic downturn, many law firms have curtailed hiring and, in some circumstances, laid off attorneys. As a result, the numbers of unemployed and underemployed attorneys, as well as attorneys who are trying to establish a new practice, have swelled.

While the decision of firms to limit their hiring may be due, in part, to decreases in demand for certain types of legal services, the demand for legal services in Utah in areas such as divorce, bankruptcy, etc. is actually increasing, as reflected in the substantial increase in court filings. In addition, the courts are being inundated with pro se litigants. That flood of pro se litigants bogs down the courts as the clerks' oflices and courts try to shepherd cases without the expertise of attorneys. Other areas of practice such as foreclosures, loan workouts and modifications, collections, and business liquidations, to name a few, have also experienced increased demand. Yet, those same potential clients see our services as...