Paralegal

Category - Ethics

Perry is a certified paralegal for Kashara, who is a partner in a mid-size law firm. Kashara asks Perry to meet with a client who recently retained Kashara to handle a nuisance action against a glue factory next to the client’s property. The client arrives at the law firm at the time set, and Perry goes to the lobby to introduce herself. Perry says to the client, “Good morning, my name is Perry Parson. I’ll be interviewing you today about the nuisance action.” After getting settled in a conference room, Perry interviews the client for approximately thirty minutes. As she was about to leave, the client thanked Perry for her time and said, “I’m glad to have an attorney like you on my side.” Should Perry have done anything differently when she first introduced herself to the client?
  1. No, but when the client referred to her as an attorney, Perry should have clarified her status as a paralegal.
  2. No, because Kashara probably told the client that Perry is a paralegal.
  3. Yes, Perry should have identified herself as a paralegal because she has never met this client.
  4. Yes, Perry should have asked the client if she (the client) was comfortable with a paralegal conducting the interview.
Explanation
Answer: C - Yes, Perry should have identified herself as a paralegal because she has never met this client. “A paralegal must disclose his or her status as a paralegal at the outset of any professional relationship with a client.” NALA Code, Canon 5. Answer C is the best choice because Perry did not clarify her status as a paralegal when she introduced herself, nor during the interview. Answer A is not the best choice because the question asks about Perry’s conduct when she introduced herself.
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