Key Takeaways:
- A Licensed Legal Paraprofessional (LLP) in Colorado is a state-licensed legal professional who can represent clients in many family law matters at a lower cost than an attorney.
- LLPs can handle divorces, custody, child support, legal separation, name changes, and protective orders, but are limited in complex cases involving trusts, disputed parentage, business assets, or expert testimony.
- LLPs may prepare legal documents, negotiate settlements, and appear in court in a limited advocacy role, but they cannot question witnesses or handle certain advanced litigation tasks.
- Attorneys are generally recommended for high-conflict, complex, or trial-heavy cases, while LLPs are often well-suited for uncontested or cooperative family law matters.
- Law firms that offer both LLPs and attorneys provide flexibility, allowing clients to start with lower-cost representation and escalate to full attorney services if the case becomes more complex.
When facing a family law matter, one of the first questions you may have is, “Who can help me through this process?” For many people, cost is a big concern, and the good news is that Colorado offers more than one option for legal assistance.
For most legal situations, an attorney is your best option, but if hiring an attorney is not in your budget, you may be able to work with a Licensed Legal Paraprofessional (LLP). LLPs are specially trained legal professionals who can represent clients in many family law matters, including divorce, legal separation, child custody, and child support, often at a lower cost than attorneys. They can guide you through paperwork, court filings, and negotiations. They can even represent you at court, in a limited capacity, to provide knowledgeable, compassionate support when you need it most.
At Ascent Legal Group, our team includes both experienced attorneys and LLPs, so we can match you with the professional who best fits your needs and budget.
What Is a LLP?
A licensed legal paraprofessional, or LLP, is a new type of legal professional in Colorado. As of March 2023, legal paraprofessionals (such as paralegals) can apply for licensure through the state. Once licensed, a LLP can offer a limited number of services in Colorado family law matters.
While LLPs are not attorneys and do not attend law school or take the bar exam, they do complete rigorous education, training, and testing to earn their license. They must also pass ethics and professionalism courses and meet strict character and fitness requirements. Once licensed, LLPs are required to take continuing legal education to stay current in their field.
A LLP is not a lawyer. They have not gone to law school or taken the bar exam. They do, however, complete a rigorous training and examination process to become a licensed legal paraprofessional in Colorado.
This means that when you work with an LLP, you’re working with someone who has real-world legal experience, in-depth knowledge of family law, and a commitment to professional standards.
Types of Cases LLPs Can Handle
LLPs can represent clients in Colorado family law matters related to:
- Divorce/dissolution of marriage
- Legal separation
- Allocation of parental responsibility
- Establishing, enforcing, and modifying child support
- Name changes
- Protective orders
- Gender designation changes
Because they focus on these types of cases, LLPs can often move the process forward efficiently, especially in amicable or uncontested matters where both sides are willing to cooperate.
The Scope of Work LLPs Can Perform
In the scope of this representation, a LLP can:
- Establish a contractual relationship with a client;
- Interview a client;
- Inform, counsel, advise, and assist a client in deciding which Court-approved form to use for a family law matter and advise the client on how to complete that form;
- Prepare and complete approved forms, including proposed parenting plans, separation agreements, motions or stipulations for establishing or modifying child support, child support worksheets, proposed orders, nonappearance affidavits, discovery requests and answers to discovery requests, trial management certificates, pretrial submissions, and exhibit and witness lists;
- Obtain, explain, and file any document or information in support of a form, including sworn financial statements and certificates of compliance;
- Sign, file, and complete service of documents;
- Review documents of another party or pension/retirement documents and explain them to a client;
- Inform, counsel, assist, and advocate for a client in negotiations and mediations;
- Fill in, sign, file, and complete service of a written settlement agreement;
- Communicate with another party or their representative about documents prepared in the case;
- Communicate with the client;
- Explain a court order that affects a client’s rights and obligations;
- Stand or sit at counsel table with a client during court proceedings to make statements and arguments, communicate with the client, provide emotional support, take notes, and answer the court’s questions;
- Provide clients with information about additional resources or requirements; and
- Advise clients about the need for a lawyer to review complex issues that may arise in a matter.
LLP Limitations
Colorado law sets limits on the scope of work an LLP can perform. LLPs are not currently authorized to question a witness. However, an LLP may address the court to answer questions, make statements, or make arguments.
There are other limits on what an LLP can do in Colorado family law matters. LLPs are prohibited from performing the following services:
- The registration of foreign orders;
- Motions for or orders regarding punitive contempt citations;
- Matters involving an allegation of common law marriage in which either party disputes the existence of a common law marriage or the date when the common law marriage formed;
- Matters involving disputed parentage where there are more than two parents or alleged parents asserting or denying legal parentage;
- Matters in which a non-parent’s request for the allocation of parental responsibilities (APR) is contested by at least one parent;
- Preparation of or litigation regarding pre- or post-nuptial agreements;
- Matters in which a party is a beneficiary of a trust and information about the trust will be relevant to the resolution of the matter;
- Matters in which a party intends to contest the jurisdiction of the court over any issue in the matter;
- The preparation by the LLP of a qualified domestic relations order (“QDRO”) or other document allocating retirement assets that are not liquid at the time of the matter;
- The preparation by the LLP of documents needed to effectuate the sale or distribution of assets of a business entity or commercial property;
- Matters in which an expert report or testimony is required to value an asset or determine income due to the inherent complexity of the asset or income at issue; or
- Issues collateral to, but directly affecting, a matter which falls within the LLP’s scope of practice, when such issues require analysis and advice outside that scope of practice, such as immigration, criminal, and bankruptcy issues that could directly affect the resolution of the matter.
LLPs can assist in these matters under the supervision of a licensed attorney. However, they cannot handle these more complex matters on their own.
Choosing Between an LLP and an Attorney
For many people, an LLP offers the perfect balance of affordability and legal guidance. If your case is straightforward, such as an uncontested divorce, a cooperative custody arrangement, or a child support modification, an LLP can provide all the support you need from start to finish.
If your case is more complex or contentious, you may still choose to start with an LLP and bring in an attorney when necessary. At Ascent Legal Group, we can seamlessly transition your case between an LLP and an attorney so you always have the right level of representation.
Ultimately, the question of whether to hire a LLP or an attorney comes down to two things:
- The type of legal matter: as explained above, LLPs can only represent clients on certain family law matters in Colorado.
- The complexity of the case: if a case is relatively simple or it involves parties who can communicate with each other and compromise, then a LLP might be a good choice. More complicated cases or highly contentious cases will typically require an attorney. Because LLPs cannot examine witnesses, if you anticipate that you might need to take depositions or go to court in your family law case, then it is better to hire a lawyer.
Keep in mind that LLPs can assist in all areas of representation provided that they are supervised by a licensed lawyer.
Why Work with a Firm That Offers Both LLPs and Attorneys?
A law firm that employs both attorneys and LLPs may be the perfect solution for Colorado residents who would like to try to resolve their case more cost-effectively by hiring a LLP, but would also like the comfort of knowing that a lawyer can provide advice, guidance, and additional representation as needed. By choosing a law firm like Ascent Legal Group that employs both attorneys and LLPs, you have options:
- Cost efficiency: LLPs typically charge less per hour than attorneys.
- Flexibility: We can match your case with the right professional at the right stage.
- Comprehensive service: If your case becomes more complex, an attorney can step in without having to switch firms.
Skilled Legal Representation for Colorado Family Law Matters
Whether your case is simple or complex, we believe everyone should have access to skilled legal help. LLPs make that possible for many Colorado families, offering experienced representation at a more accessible price point.
Ascent Legal Group represents clients in the greater Colorado Springs area on a variety of family law matters. We can take on any case, from uncontested divorces to acrimonious, complex high-net-worth dissolutions. At our law offices, you can choose to work with an attorney or a LLP based on your needs and preferences. To learn more or to schedule a free consultation with a member of our legal team, give us a call at 719-256-0067 or fill out our online contact form.
