They're not lawyers, nor do they play them on TV, nor in court, nor in other more complex scenarios. But unlike paralegals, they can give legal advice and handle more basic, cut-and-dried matters independent of an attorney's supervision.Limited license legal technicians, touted by supporters as the nurse practitioners of the legal profession, have been licensed for the first time in Washington state, where the initial handful of LLLTs recently completed the joint community college-law school educational track. Several other states, including Florida, Oregon, and Colorado, are at various stages of exploring the issue, while the Illinois State Bar Association has appointed a task force that will begin exploring LLLTs this fall.Proponents of Washington state's move, mandated in 2012 by the state's supreme court, say LLLTs could help provide legal services to moderate- and middle-income people who can't afford to pay for attorneys but are not poor enough to qualify for legal aid services - hence the comparison to nurse practitioners and how they play a mid-level-provider role in the medical profession.Opponents, who were very vocal at last summer's ISBA assembly meeting, are concerned that already underemployed lawyers will lose business to LLLTs and also that the quality of legal services provided will suffer. They would prefer to explore other alternatives for making legal services more affordable, and the ISBA task force will take up some of those ideas as well. Find out more in the September Illinois Bar Journal.

Asked and AnsweredBy John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMCQ. I am a new partner in our law firm of six attorneys. I was an associate for seven years and was just made an equity partner and just received a copy of this month's income statement. The income statement shows the firm operating at a loss. I was startled and took a look at past years' statements as well. All are showing a small loss. Am I looking at these correctly? How can a firm operate at a loss for seven years in a row and still be in business. I would appreciate your comments.A. My guess is that the firm is running all or a portion of equity partner compensation though as expense on the income statement. Other personal items may also be run through the firm as well. Check with the firm's bookkeeper or outside accountant to see if this is the case. If this is the case add the total paid to equity partners back to the net income or loss on the income statement. This will give a better picture of the actual "pie".Click here for our financial management topic blogClick here for articles on other topics

ISBA Spotlight on Pro Bono By Susan LePeau DeCostanza, Staff Attorney, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Summer is a time when we may flex our work schedule a bit and take some time off to enjoy the weather with family and friends. Summer is also a great time to start thinking creatively about that pro bono or volunteer project you’ve been meaning to get started this year. With information about so many pro bono opportunities online and at our fingertips, volunteering has never been so easy! 

The Illinois Law & Leadership Institute ("ILLI") is a legal immersion program for high school students of diverse backgrounds, with a curriculum that includes fun and educational activities centered on the legal profession. The program, which is a joint venture between the Illinois State Bar Association and Southern Illinois University School of Law, ran from July 26 - August 1 in Carbondale with a combination of classroom lectures, logic and critical thinking exercises, writing and oral advocacy instruction, guest speakers, and field trips to law firms and the U.S.