Montana Legislature Passes Bill re Paralegal Fees

NALA member Barbara A. Bessey, CP, has advised that the Montana Legislature has passed a bill which provides that “in any case or proceeding in which attorney fees are awarded to the prevailing party, the court may, as a component of the attorney fees, include reasonable fees of a paralegal”! Text of the bill is posted on the NALA web site. The bill also defines “paralegal” as a “person qualified through education, training or work experience who is employed or retained to perform, under supervision by a licensed attorney, substantive legal work that: (1) requires a substantial knowledge of legal concepts; and (b) in the absence of the paralegal, would be performed by an attorney. The bill goes on to list qualification so of those who may use the title “paralegal.” Great job Montana paralegals!!

See, http://www.nala.org/NalaNews2.aspx