Lone Star State sees rise in complaints of non-lawyers practicing without a license
Texas has seen an increase in complaints of non-attorneys providing legal services, many of whom offer to provide immigration assistance.
Texas has seen an increase in complaints of non-attorneys providing legal services, a trend driven in part by a greater demand for immigration assistance.
Bloomberg Law News reports that the state’s Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas, took in about 455 reports last year, up from the annual average of 300 — an increase of more than 50%.
Immigration-related reports represented 23% of the total — a gradual rise from 16% in 2016. Committee chair Ann Hennis said reports related to family law also were commonm with 267 complaints between January 1 and July 8.
Practicing law in Texas without a license can lead to third -degree felony charges. According to the State Bar of Texas, which funds the committee’s work but doesn’t otherwise participate in its operations, the practice often harms clients, who risk losing money, property, or even their freedom.
Last August, after reports of a sharp increase in the number of individuals fraudulently posing as immigration attorneys, often falsely stating they work for reputable legal services organizations, including the ABA, the ABA issued an alert to warn the public of these scams.
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