OUTCOMES OF NONLAWYER LEGAL PRACTITIONER MODELS: FOCUS ON ARIZONA

Authors

  • Toni Marsh George Washington University Author

Keywords:

PARALEGAL, PARALEGALS, NONLAWYER, ACCESS TO JUSTICE, PARALEGAL MODELS, ARIZONA, LLP, LP, LLLT, LPP, JUSTICE

Abstract

The access to justice crisis affects low- and middle-income Americans; nonlawyer licensing models in which states authorize limited legal practice by nonlawyers as a solution. Focusing on Arizona’s Legal Paraprofessional program, the most expansive in the nation, the article analyzes 2024 survey data showing high client satisfaction, low costs, and minimal complaints. It concludes that well-regulated nonlawyer models can expand access, improve efficiency, and maintain quality, offering a scalable and effective approach to closing the justice gap.

Author Biography

  • Toni Marsh, George Washington University

    Toni Marsh is a lawyer, the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at George Washington University in Washington DC, and a Professor of Paralegal Studies and Constitutional Law. She founded the GW Paralegal Studies program and directed it for 20 years before moving on to her current position. She has extensively studied paralegal models in Tanzania, Ecuador, and the American Indian Tribal Nations and designed the standard paralegal curriculum for the nation of Tanzania.

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Published

2026-05-07

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 2 (2026): Journal of Paralegal Education and Practice

Section

Articles

How to Cite

OUTCOMES OF NONLAWYER LEGAL PRACTITIONER MODELS: FOCUS ON ARIZONA. (2026). Journal of Paralegal Education and Practice, 1(2), 60-72. https://ojs.aafpe.org/ojs/index.php/jpep/article/view/17