LDA - Legal Document Assistant Careers

Legal Document Assistant, or LDA (also commonly known as “legal document preparer,” “legal technician,” “online legal document provider” and “legal document clerk”) is a non-lawyer       authorized to assist with the preparation of  legal instruments . The profession is similar to a paralegal .

Legal Document Assistants in the State of California are sometimes incorrectly referred to as Independent Paralegals or Freelance Paralegals. On September 30, 1998 Governor Pete Wilson signed California State Senate Bill SB1418, regulating the legal document preparation profession in the State of California, and creating a new formal title, Legal Document Assistant (LDA).

While many LDAs have paralegal education and experience, they are not the same as paralegals. Under California law, a paralegal is prohibited from providing services directly to the consumer. Paralegals may only be employed by an attorney, law firm, corporation, governmental agency, or other entity; and work under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney within the scope of that employment.

Unlike paralegals, Legal Document Assistants (LDAs) are authorized by law to provide legal document preparation services to consumers, after complying with the registration and bonding requirements. Neither paralegals nor LDAs are permitted to engage in the practice of law .