Letter: Assembly bill 18 amounts to attack on paralegals

Thursday, March 18, 1999 | 10:21 a.m.

Assemblyman Bernie Anderson, D-Sparks, a history teacher who is chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, is a professional politician. At the hearing of AB18, two admittedly illegal aliens testifying on behalf of the State Bar, noted that they did not have any previous knowledge of the bar's pro bono programs, which would give indigent families free or low-cost attorney services. Apparently, pro bono is ineffective, as testified.

Furthermore, most middle-class Americans generally cannot afford $200 to $650 per hour for attorney services. Paralegal businesses that prepare and file forms, and provide nonlawyer-required services are utilized by consumers and attorneys, and there is a realistic requirement for such services. AB18 would make such businesses illegal in Nevada, and the consumer would be forced to pay attorney fees for the same services, as provided by the paralegals.

Having 50 to 60 complaints filed against paralegals vs. 1,600 complaints filed against Nevada attorneys (February 1998 through February 1999), it seems evident that the Nevada populous needs protection from Nevada attorneys, not paralegals.

In my opinion, Anderson has every intention of seeing that AB18 is passed, regardless of public opposition by Nevada's consumers. AB18 establishes a restraint of trade and monopoly, therein providing attorneys with unrestricted expansion into all aspects of business.

AB18 provides a hostile takeover of businesses that perform vital paralegal services for consumers and attorneys, without the high cost of attorney fees.

LIBBY A. HERLIHY, Paralegal