Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals

Background

In 2023, Colorado established the Licensed Legal Paraprofessional program to provide greater access to legal services for families that are financially constrained. Nexus is among the first law firms in the state of Colorado to offer representation by an LLP. 

Description

Paraprofessionals have the ability to do many of the same tasks as an attorney with some limitations. For example, an LLP cannot represent a client at a hearing but they can draft documents for a hearing and help clients prepare. LLPs are licensed by the Colorado Supreme Court to perform certain types of legal services only under the conditions set forth by the Court. LLPs do not include individuals with a general license to practice law in Colorado.

The LLP’s scope of licensure is limited to the following areas of practice within Colorado family law:

• Pre and Post-Decree Divorce/Legal Separation/Declaration of Invalidity of Marriage matters;
• Pre and Post-Decree Allocation of Parental Responsibilities (“APR”) matters;
• Establishment and modification of child support/maintenance;
• Civil Protection Orders;
• Remedial Contempt Citations under C.R.C.P. 107;
• Name changes and Adult Gender Designation Changes.

Within the areas listed above, an LLP may represent the interests of a client by:

• Establishing a contractual relationship with Client. This relationship holds the same confidentiality and related privileges available under that of an attorney-client relationship.
• Providing legal counsel, advice, and information to the Client regarding their family law matter.
• Drafting, signing, and filing pleadings on behalf of the client within the Client’s family law matter.
• Reviewing and explaining pleadings and Orders that affects Client’s rights and obligations within the Client’s family law matter to the Client.
• Reviewing documents of another party or documents and forms prepared by a pension or retirement plan which allocate pension or retirement benefits pursuant to a decree of dissolution, and explaining them to Client.
• Attending Mediation, and otherwise engaging in settlement discussions, and drafting settlement agreements related to the Client’s family law matter.
• Standing or sitting at counsel table with Client during a court proceeding to provide emotional support, communicating with Client during the proceeding, making statements and arguments in court other than examining a witness, answering questions posed by the court, addressing the court upon the court’s request, taking notes, and assisting Client in understanding the proceeding and relevant orders.
• Providing Client with information about additional resources or requirements, such as parenting education classes, and filing certificates of completion with the court.
• Advising Client regarding the need for a lawyer to review complex issues that may arise in a matter.

LLPs are not authorized to represent a client in any of the following:

• The registration of foreign orders;
• Motions for or orders regarding punitive contempt citations under C.R.C.P. 107;
• matters involving an allegation of common law marriage matters involving an allegation of common law marriage in which either party disputes the existence of a common law marriage or the date when the common law marriage formed;
• Matters involving disputed parentage where there are more than two parents or alleged parents asserting or denying legal parentage;
• Matters in which a non-parent’s request for APR is contested by at least one parent;
• Preparation of or litigation regarding pre- or post-nuptial agreements;
• Matters in which a party is a beneficiary of a trust and information about the trust will be relevant to resolution of the matter;
• Matters in which a party intends to contest jurisdiction of the court over any issue in the matter;
• The preparation by the LLP of a qualified domestic relations order (“QDRO”) or other document allocating retirement assets that are not liquid at the time of the matter;
• The preparation by the LLP of documents needed to effectuate the sale or distribution of assets of a business entity or commercial property;
• Matters in which an expert report or testimony is required to value an asset or determine income due to the inherent complexity of the asset or income at issue; or
• Issues collateral to, but directly affecting, a matter which falls within the LLP’s scope of practice when such issues require analysis and advice outside that scope of practice, such as immigration, criminal, and bankruptcy issues that could directly affect the resolution of the matter.
• An LLP is not authorized to conduct an examination of a witness. The LLP may only address the court pursuant to C.R.C.P. 207.1(2)(g)(xiii).

Qualifications for Limited Representation

In order to qualify for Limited Representation by one of our LLPs, you must meet the following financial requirements:

For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $6,725 per year to “yearly income” for each additional family member.