WASHINGTON STATE

PRACTICE OF LAW BOARD

The Washington State Supreme Court created the Practice of Law Board  in 2001, when it adopted GR 24 and GR 25.  GR 24 is the Definition of the Practice of Law.  GR 25 created the Practice of Law Board and sets out its purposes, powers, practices and authority.  GR 25 requires the Board to:

• promote expanded access to affordable and reliable legal and law-related services;
  
• expand public confidence in the administration of justice;
  
• make recommendations regarding the circumstances under which nonlawyers may be involved in the delivery of certain types of legal and law-related services;
  

• enforce rules prohibiting individuals and organizations from engaging in unauthorized legal and law-related services that post a threat to the general public;

• ensure that those engaged in the delivery of legal services in the state of Washington have the requisite skill and competencies necessary to serve the public

The Practice of Law Board typically meets monthly.  During these meetings, the Board makes decisions on unauthorized practice of law complaints.  The Board may dismiss a complaint, ask the respondent to cease and desist unauthorized conduct or refer the case to other appropriate authorities, including prosecutors. The Board also works on developing a pilot project of its proposed Legal Technician Rule.  This rule allows trained, tested and licensed non-lawyers to provide specifically defined legal services without supervision by a lawyer. Thank you for visiting our website.  This is a new website that is currently under development.  If you do not see the information you need today, please check back often.