Of the nine candidates in Washington state who took the licensing exam to become the nation’s first-ever limited license legal technicians (LLLTs), seven passed and will now have their names submitted to the Supreme Court of Washington for the court to issue an order granting their admission to practice.

This historic program seeks to help bridge the access-to-justice gap by licensing non-lawyers to provide legal advice and assistance in limited areas without the supervision of a lawyer. I wrote about the program in January for the ABA Journal and later for the Washington Post.

Michelle Cummings, the LLLT candidate who I featured in the ABA Journal piece, is among the seven who passed the exam. They all passed both a professional responsibility exam and a domestic-relations practice area exam. The full list of those who passed is:

  • Leisa Bulick, White Salmon, WA.
  • Christine Carpenter, Auburn, WA.
  • Michelle Cummings, Auburn, WA.
  • Kimberly Lancaster, Shoreline, WA.
  • Melodie Nicholson, Auburn, WA.
  • Priscilla Selden, Entiat, WA.
  • Angela Wright, Granite Falls, WA.

Fifteen candidates had completed the coursework to become LLLTs. Nine of them took the exam.

The candidates must still complete additional steps, according to the Washington State Bar Association’s LLLT website. They must provide proof that they have the required 3,000 hours of supervised experience and that they have insurance and have set up trust account reporting. They also must pay a licensing fee and take an oath administered by the court.

Photo of Bob Ambrogi Bob Ambrogi

Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.