Associate Bar Member Providing Legal Training to Staff Agency.

It would not be the unauthorized practice of law for a Virginia State Bar associate member to provide training on the statutory changes, probable cause determination, and offenses to be charged related to matters involving youth and family services, since the information being provided in the training sessions would not constitute the rendering of specific legal advice and would only constitute the provision of general legal information and training.

The Committee has earlier opined that it is not the unauthorized practice of law for a foreign attorney to publish newspaper articles containing general legal information in Virginia. See UPL Op. 104 (April 17, 1987). Furthermore, UPL Opinion 131 (February 22, 1989) concluded that it is not the unauthorized practice of law for non-lawyer staff members of a not-for-profit Virginia corporation to provide general information and education on legal matters through seminars, publications, and responses to letters and telephone inquiries.

[UPL Ops. 104, 131]

Committee Opinion
December 19, 1994