A Legal Technician, also known as a Limited License Legal Technician (LLLT) is a new kind of legal professional in Washington State.  Similar to a nurse practitioner in the medical field, a Legal Technician can provide legal services to people who cannot afford an attorney.  A Legal Technician is trained and licensed to advise and assist people going through divorce and other family law matters in Washington.

A Legal Technician can do the following (some restrictions apply):

• Advise a client as to her rights and responsibilities in her divorce and certain other family law matters;
• Prepare documents for a client’s divorce and certain other family law matters;
• Communicate and negotiate with the opposing party or counsel regarding procedural matters;
• Negotiate the client's legal rights and responsibilities, provided the client has given written consent defining the parameters of the negotiation;
• Accompany and assist a client at court hearings, dispute resolution proceedings, and depositions.

A Legal Technician is prohibited from:

• Representing a client in court proceedings, dispute resolution proceedings, and depositions (Note that Legal Technicians are not prohibited from accompanying and and assisting clients at these events);
• Providing services to a client in another state;
• Preparing documents for a client that have not been approved by the LLLT Board or by a Washington lawyer;
• Advising a client regarding the division of owned real estate that is not a single family residence and with owner equity more than twice the homestead exemption;
• Advising a client regarding the division of retirement assets for defined contribution plans with a value more than the homestead exemption.
• For a complete list of prohibited acts for a Legal Technician, see Washington Admission to Practice Rule 28 (APR 28).