On January 24, 2020, the State Bar’s Board of Trustees created the California Paraprofessionals Working Group(CPPWG) and charged it with developing recommendations for the creation of a paraprofessional licensure/certification program to increase access to legal services in California. Although the CPPWG has been meeting and preparing proposals for nearly two years, many attorneys have been unaware of the “paraprofessional” license program until the CPPWG’s final report was issued in September 2021. This final report is currently in its 110-day comment period leading up to the Board of Trustee’s consideration for approval early next year.

This timely presentation will review the CPPWG’s final report and will summarize the specific recommendations regarding eligibility requirements, selection of the types of tasks, by practice area, that paraprofessionals will be permitted to perform, and the proposed changes to unauthorized practice of law rules and statutes as well as changes to the rules of professional conduct that will be needed to permit the performance of these types of tasks, among other proposals. The paraprofessional license is intended to be a part of the Board of Trustee’s solution to the “access to justice” issue in California. However, it will certainly have many other significant impacts on the practice of law by attorneys as well as other important consequences that cannot be predicted, for better or for worse. Join the Pasadena Bar Association for this important presentation so that you will be well informed regarding the CPPWG’s proposal and prepared to respond and make your voice heard!

Speaker: Ashod Mooradian

Ashod Mooradian

After nearly a decade as a senior prosecutor with the State Bar of California, Ashod Mooradian founded a boutique practice exclusively focused on legal ethics, professional responsibility compliance, and State Bar matter representation in disciplinary, regulatory or admission- related cases. Ashod’s background as an ethics prosecutor gives him a unique and pragmatic perspective in the analysis of legal ethics issues and when representing clients in State Bar investigations. Currently, Ashod is a member of the standing ethics committees for the Los Angeles County Bar and the California Lawyers Association. 

Also, he is an active member of the Association of Disciplinary Defense Counsel, the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers and the American Bar Association’s Center for Professional Responsibility (CPR). In 2019, Ashod was awarded CPR’s Jeanne P. Gray Diversity Scholarship and worked on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for the legal profession nationwide. In August 2020, Ashod launched www.StateBarHelp.com to provide guidance and resources for California attorneys who have any type legal ethics or compliance issue pending before the State Bar of California. Ashod’s mission is to help attorneys practically and strategically incorporate considerations of ethics and professionalism into their daily practice and not just when a problem or crisis arises.

Member Price – $55.00
Non-Member Price -$75.00