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The Pilot Project allows approved Minnesota legal paraprofessionals (paralegals), like our own Pam Martin, to represent and advise clients in select family law cases with an attorney’s supervision. In some cases, a paralegal can represent a client in court.

The goal of the program is to increase access to legal representation in cases where one or both parties would normally appear before the court without an attorney. The Pilot Project provides individuals who cannot afford an attorney with quality alternative legal services.

This Pilot Project started March 1, 2021 and runs through March 31, 2024.  

The reality is that too many people in Minnesota have real legal needs and they can’t afford an attorney. About half of the clients served by the Project would have been unrepresented without the assistance of a legal paraprofessional.

As a qualified paralegal, Pam can give advice and appear in court on behalf of clients in family law cases related to child support modification, parenting time disputes, and paternity matters. With the approval of a licensed attorney, members of the roster can appear for default hearings, pretrial hearings, and informal family court proceedings.

Paralegals on the roster can also appear with a client in family law mediations where the issues are limited to less complex matters which may include simple property divisions, parenting time matters, and spousal maintenance determinations.

In order to participate in the pilot program, the professional must have to either have a paralegal degree, law degree, or five years of experience as a paraprofessional. Certain continuing education qualifications are also required. Paralegals on the roster, including Pam, are highly trained and experienced. They dive into details and pull together the facts necessary under the law to bring closure.

Most importantly, qualified paralegals talk with clients and can relate to people on a personal level. At BGS, our goal is to provide great service to people. Pam’s goal is to help good people get through an extremely tough time in their lives and come out better on the other side. Pam says, “I’m wired to help people…serving as the main reason I signed up serve on the program roster.”

If you would like legal paraprofessional representation, feel free to reach out to Pam by calling (763) 783-5167.

Here is a link which contains a list of names of all approved participating paralegals:

https://mncourts.gov/mncourtsgov/media/Appellate/Supreme%20Court/LPPP-Roster-of-Approved-Legal-Paraprofessionals.pdf