Hiring Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals in Colorado

PublishedJun 18, 2024

2 minute read

Colorado joins six other states in allowing paralegals to practice law in a limited capacity. The adoption of Colorado’s Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals (LLP) program follows eight years of consideration by the Colorado Supreme Court.

Learn About Licensed Legal Paraprofessional Jobs in Colorado

Robinson & Henry, P.C. is currently hiring licensed legal paraprofessionals. If you want to take your career to the next level, consider joining a firm where your professional credentials will be leveraged to their maximum potential.

Email R&H Professional Recruiter Alec Thomas for more information on our open positions: alec.thomas@robinsonandhenry.com

Colorado Law Firm Sponsors Licensed Legal Paraprofessional Program

Robinson & Henry encourages its legal team and staff members to pursue continuing education opportunities, and R&H is proud to sponsor paralegals who aspire to obtain their licenses.

A Colorado Licensed Legal Paraprofessional may represent clients with domestic relations matters, an area of law where up to 75 percent of parties do not have an attorney, according to Colorado Judicial Branch statistics. Self-representation can result in costly mistakes, and pro se litigants are at a disadvantage in court due to their unfamiliarity with legal procedures.

The CO Licensed Legal Paraprofessional program aims to bridge the legal representation gap by making it more available and affordable.

Legal paraprofessionals who work at R&H can expect to fully integrate their license into practicing law as permitted by the Colorado Supreme Court.

How We Support Paralegals

Earning the Colorado Licensed Legal Paraprofessional credential requires substantial time, effort, and commitment. In addition to meeting certain education or experience requirements, candidates must also take various courses and pass the LLP Examination.

Robinson & Henry will pay for this process, which involves:

10-week ethics course and exam
Colorado Bar Association’s Practicing with Professionalism CLE
application process, including state and federal fingerprint background checks
LLP Bar exam

What Does a Licensed Legal Paraprofessional Do in Colorado?

Colorado licensed paraprofessionals can represent clients in certain family law matters, including divorce and separation, some child custody issues, and protection orders.

LLPs can complete documents and forms for their clients, such as sworn financial statements and child support worksheets, advise them at mediation, and accompany them to court hearings.

Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals at Robinson & Henry

Robinson & Henry clients with straightforward family law cases can save on some legal expenses by working with a Colorado licensed legal paraprofessional.

R&H licensed legal paraprofessionals will help family law clients through mediation and standard court hearings. During court hearings, a legal paraprofessional may sit at the counsel table, deliver opening and closing statements, and answer a judge’s questions. However, they cannot question witnesses on the stand.

An R&H attorney is required to handle cases that proceed to trial.

The rules that govern legal practice in Colorado also prohibit LLPs from representing clients on complex cases, such as common law marriage allegations, parentage disputes, and asset valuations requiring expert testimony.

What are the Requirements to Become an LLP in Colorado?

In addition to completing the coursework mentioned above, LLP candidates must have one of four degrees or demonstrate a substantive law-related work history.

Degrees can include:

Juris doctor
associate’s degree in paralegal studies
bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies
bachelor’s degree in any subject with a paralegal certificate or 15 hours of paralegal studies

Individuals who don’t meet the educational qualifications may apply for an LLP if they can demonstrate:

three full-time years of substantive law-related practical experience with
one full-time year focused on Colorado family law

Extensive Practical Experience Requirements

All paralegals seeking licensure in Colorado must have completed 1,500 hours of substantive law-related experience with 500 hours concentrating on family law. This work must have occurred within the previous three years.

The first Colorado Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals receive their license numbers in June 2024 at an oath of admission ceremony. Robinson & Henry Paralegal Hannah Schoeninger, who took the state’s first LLP bar exam in April, is among the state’s first class of new legal practitioners.