Arizona has become the first state in the US to formally file for the introduction of Alternative Business Structures (ABSs) in the US. The Arizona task force on the delivery of legal services has filed a petition with the Arizona Supreme Court which suggests eliminating rules which prevent fee sharing with non-lawyers and entering into a partnership with non-lawyers.
The petition is quoted as saying “Eliminating the rule would mean, for example, that a professional nonlawyer administrator in a law firm could have an ownership interest or that a Fortune 500 company could be a passive investor. It also could mean that a law firm could attract nonlawyer talent… by providing equity in the firm”.
The petition has also suggested introducing limited license legal practitioners to the state, filling a gap for lower-cost legal services and helping to bridge the justice gap in the state.