The California Association of Legal Document Assistants

What is the CALDA?

The California Association of Legal Document Assistants (C.A.L.D.A.) is a non-profit corporation that represents a diverse group of Legal Document Assistants (LDAs) throughout California. The Association was formed by a group of LDAs in 1996 and adopted its bylaws, creating a framework within which LDAs can serve and protect the public.
C.A.L.D.A.’s mission is simple: A California not-for-profit corporation serving the specific needs of Legal Document Assistants (LDAs) consistently statewide , protecting the consumers and the profession without the stakes of what others might have to offer to pay to protect.
C.A.L.D.A.’s goals are:

• To offer direction and mission;
• To provide education, support and consulting services;
• To speak as a collective voice before policy leaders;
• To serve consumers;
• To ensure the public can contact a LDA who meets specific criteria;
• To be transparent for those who choose to become members.

The Significance of Legal Document Assistants in California

The California Association of Legal Document Assistants (CALDA) is a non-profit association established in 2001 to support, promote and advance the interests of legal document assistants (LDAs) around the state. Its vision: to ensure that no citizen is denied the opportunity to represent herself or himself in legal matters due to lack of knowledge about the process or resources available.
What’s a legal document assistant? For many, their work is a mystery — someone who plops down some forms, asks you some questions, then charges you money to file your documents with the courts. But there’s more to the LDA role than simply filing court documents, although, it can be a bit more complicated than the general rule of thumb: Does your case require an attorney, or not? We’ll get to that in a moment.
LDAs offer a diversity of services to the public, and are not permitted to offer legal advice or represent clients before the courts, the IRS or an administrative hearing officer — nor can they establish attorney-client privilege. It’s often just the two of them: the legal document assistant and the client. Just the nature of the job eliminates the worries of legal malpractice liability and costs passed on to the client.
LDAs are able to take all of the information a client provides and compile the appropriate packets needed for their representation, which may include petitions, declarations, writs, answer to complaints, oppositions, demurrers, petitions for dissolution, discovery responses, motions, responsive motions, internal revenue service forms and more.
An LDA will ask the client what he or she wants, what the client’s idea of success would be, and then establish a marching order to file a response, and petition the court. An LDA can draft a variety of documents: from living trusts and wills, to divorce papers and individual retirement accounts, and cover an array of topics from family law to corporate law, and from criminal law to landlord-tenant issues.
An LDA provides services directly to the public and operates under the guidance of the Legal Document Assistants Registration Act, Business and Professions Code sections 6400-6416. Another benefit of hiring an LDA is the fact that you won’t pay for attorney’s fees, or a host of other fees that can arise from retaining the services of a full-time attorney.
A specific area of focus for CALDA members is providing a gateway for information and resources to help low- and moderate-income individuals navigate, access, use and understand the legal process in California.
The Legal Document Assistant Registration Act was signed into law by the governor in 1998 and became operative on July 1, 1999. To become registered, a legal document assistant must be bonded, have a minimum of one year’s continuous, substantive, law-related experience working under the supervision of a California attorney, and meet specific continuing education requirements annually.
In addition to serving and protecting the public through training, education, networking opportunities and offering resources for legal document assistants, CALDA has equipped the public with information about LDAs and how they can assist with family law, bankruptcy, immigration, landlord-tenant issues, personal injury, wills and trusts, deceptively simple legal issues that many individuals plan to handle on their own without proper guidance.

Advantages of Legal Document Assistant Membership

Member of the California Association of Legal Document Assistants receives numerous benefits when they become members of our organization.
Professional Development
The CALDA offers a page of links to related associations and organizations to give Document Assistants the opportunity to expand their areas of interest. Here are some of the educational resources available through these organizations:
United States Courts and Bankruptcies Search and Telephone Listings
Networking Opportunities
As one reviewer pointed out, membership in CALDA provides Assistants extensive networking possibilities. With a large member base throughout California, CALDA provides access to a wealth of knowledge that documents assistants cannot find elsewhere.
Access to Jobs
The CALDA website includes a job listings page that is updated regularly with job listings for legal document assistants from around the state. Whether you are looking for full or part time work, you will find a large assortment of job listings in a variety of fields.
Membership Directory
Another benefit that comes from becoming a member of CALDA is the ability to own a listing in the member directory. Many clients and law offices use this directory to search for document assistants that have been verified to be competent to perform the required services.

Exploring How to Become a Legal Document Assistant in California

To become a California Association of Legal Document Assistants (C.A.L.D.A.) member, there are certain steps that need to be completed. First, one must complete the Legal Document Assistant Application, which requires a review of one’s experience, qualifications, and knowledge of the provisions stated under Business and Professions Code Section 6400 to 6451. These requirements are in place under the Business and Professions Code, Sections 6400 to 6451 for the purpose of protecting the public. It is of utmost importance that the potential member is familiar with the allowed scope of work for legal document assistants , and acts within the provisions laid out in the code. There are numerous areas that could potentially spell trouble for someone who would attempt to offer legal document assistant services without first being made aware of the restrictions placed upon such activities. Once the Legal Document Assistant Application is received, the applicant will be contacted to determine the best time for an interview, which can be done either in person or telephonically. The applicant should expect to be asked a lot of questions pertaining to their knowledge of the various legal forms, as well as the type of clientele they would typically be in contact with. After this step has been completed, the applicant will need to send a two-year, $100 bond to the C.A.L.D.A. Office and will be sent certain documents to complete. A conflict of interest question and policy for client files will be sent, which must be completed before final membership can be granted.

Regulations and Compliance for Legal Document Assistants

Compliance with legal standards and ethical guidelines is vital for legal document assistants in California. Beyond the regulations set by the California Association of Legal Document Assistants (CALA), legal document assistants must also adhere to essential federal and state laws governing consumer and professional services.
The Legal Document Assistant’s Responsibilities
As a self-regulating profession, CALA provides guidelines for professional conduct and compliance with legal requirements. Therefore, a CALA member must adhere to both CALA standards and the state and federal laws in order to maintain membership and avoid legal penalties.
The standard disclosure information all legal license assistants are required to provide include:
Legal document assistants are legally and ethically required to submit this information in writing to all customers, per the CALA Code of Ethics.
Legal Considerations and Regulations
Beyond the standards set in-house, legal document assistants must comply with state and federal laws. Amendments and refinements continue to be made to the following federal and state acts that affect legal document assistants and consumers seeking legal document assistance.
Evidence Code 640
Criminal procedures law (Penal Code) 6125-6126.5
Labor Law 90.1 and 170 (109)
Business and Professional Code 6400; 6402; 6404; 6406.3; 6404.1; 6404.5
Government Code 2400; 2401; 2401.6; 2401.7; 2403; 2404.1; 2404.2; 2406.5; 2406.6; 2406.7
Enforcement Consistency
Legal document assistants come under scrutiny for issues like every other professional service, however, violations by those using the "legal document assistant" title are treated more aggressively than violations of lawyers.

Looking Ahead: The Path of Legal Document Assistants in California

As the legal landscape in California continues to evolve, so too does the role of legal document associates in society. The advent of technology and online legal services has enabled document assistants to adapt their services to meet the needs of California’s constantly changing legal environment. From providing low-cost alternatives to complicated legal procedures to offering advanced technological solutions, document assistants are poised to be at the forefront of the future of legal services in California. With potential opportunities of combining forces with technology to deliver superior services, document assistants are ready to fulfill the growing demand for affordable and accessible legal aid. Online platforms are increasingly becoming an important medium for legal assistance, and many document assistants are capitalizing on this trend by providing tech-enabled services. With the rise of DIY legal solutions , legal document assistants with strong digital platforms and user-friendly experiences are expected to capture the attention of clients across the state. Additionally, through mobile-optimized services, document assistants can target clients with time constraints or transportation issues. Moreover, with the recent trend towards global legal aid services, document assistants can play a crucial role by becoming educated on relevant laws beyond California and expanding their services to serve foreign clients. Legal document assistants equipped with such expertise stand to become indespensable to California’s diverse population. By integrating technology and expanding their services to a global client base, legal document assistants in California are well-positioned to adapt and thrive in the fast evolving legal landscape.