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The
latest list of area attorneys qualified for participation in the
Limited Assistance Representation Project (LAR) can be found by
clicking here. A
live training session for attorneys who wish to qualify for the
program will be held on Tuesday, November 21st, 2006. The
session is sponsored by the Volunteer Lawyer's Project / Senior
Partners for Justice. To register, please contact Nicole Dupre
at (617) 423-0648, ext.129. The
Notice of Limited Appearance form can be found here. The
Notice of Withdrawl of Limited Appearance form can be
found here. Both
forms are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. An Adobe Acrobat Reader
can be downloaded for free by clicking on the link below: 
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Pilot
project underway in Suffolk County: Limited
Assistance Representation (LAR) to benefit attorneys and
litigants alike.
On
November 1, 2006, an important 18-month pilot program, The
Limited Assistance Representation Project (LAR), began in
Suffolk County Probate and Family Court. The new program makes
legal representation a more viable option for those who would
otherwise come to court without a lawyer.
While
full representation throughout a court case has been common
practice, LAR allows qualified attorneys and pro se litigants
to ‘unbundle’ legal proceedings and agree upon which
aspects of the case are best served by legal representation.
Court officials and attorneys are confident that many more
unrepresented litigants will seek out an attorney for
assistance with complex legal issues, and the court will
operate more smoothly as a result.
WHAT
THIS MEANS FOR THE PUBLIC:
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Those
not able to afford an attorney for their entire casemay be
able to do so now; |
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By
‘unbundling’ your case, you can pick and choose which
parts of your case need the attention of a competent,
experienced attorney; |
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You
can represent yourself in court, but obtain sound legal
advice from a lawyer beforehand; |
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An
attorney can draw up your court paperwork and explain the
court’s procedures before you go and see the judge on
your own; |
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Little
is left to question, as the terms of the work and payment
arrangement between the attorney and client are
specifically spelled out in an agreement signed
beforehand; |
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Attorneys
for hire as part of the LAR program have received special
training, and are familiar with all of the rules and
procedures that need to be followed. |
WHAT
THIS MEANS FOR ATTORNEYS:
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A
Standing Order of the Supreme Judicial Court specifies new
procedures, thereby ensuring that attorneys will not violate
ethical or procedural rules; |
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Any
party to a case can hire an attorney for limited
representation, with the attorney and litigant formally
recording their relationship on a Notice of Limited
Appearance; |
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Payment
arrangements are specifically spelled out in an underlying
agreement, helping to assure timely compensation; |
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Attorneys
can now assist a litigant with rules of law and procedure,
or draft documents (‘ghostwriting’) without filing an
appearance or appearing in court with the litigant; |
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Attorneys
must maintain all ethical rules and standards of conduct
when providing limited representation; |
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Better-informed
litigants will result in fewer procedural errors and less
waste of court time and resources. |
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RPI/TC © 2002
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