Opinion 2174

An attorney who recently hired a paralegal learned that the paralegal had previously identified her position as that of a “Paralegal Advocate”. The inquirer wishes to know if it is ethically acceptable to continue the designation.

Identifying a paralegal or a legal assistant as a Paralegal Advocate or as a Legal Assistant Advocate is misleading as Advocate is a word that has become globally synonymous with “lawyer”, and, as such, it violates RPC 7.1 (just as the paralegal’s reference to him/herself as “Paralegal Lawyer” would). Because RPC 5.3 requires a lawyer having direct supervision over a non-lawyer to ensure that the actions of a non-lawyer assistant are compatible with the professional obligations of the lawyer, in this case, it is the duty of the inquiring lawyer to ensure that the paralegal does not represent him or herself as a “Paralegal Advocate”

Advisory Opinions are provided for the education of the Bar and reflect the opinion of the Committee on Professional Ethics (CPE) or its predecessors. Advisory Opinions are provided pursuant to the authorization granted by the Board of Governors, but are not individually approved by the Board and do not reflect the official position of the Bar association. Laws other than the Washington State Rules of Professional Conduct may apply to the inquiry. The Committee's answer does not include or opine about any other applicable law other than the meaning of the Rules of Professional Conduct.