Rent-Seeking Dentists, and “the Practice of Law”

Really interesting article in the Seattle Times this morning about how our state’s dentists have successfully (so far) blocked Washington residents from having access to dental therapists. These therapists (who are licensed in the states that allow them) are akin to physician assistants; they can perform a wide range of basic dental care procedures. And as… Continue reading Rent-Seeking Dentists, and “the Practice of Law”

$5 Consults and the Unauthorized Practice of Law

Keith Lee has an excellent post breaking down the “legal consultations” offered through Fiverr, a  website that offers all sorts of services, provided by marketplace sellers, for a flat five dollars apiece.[ref]I’ve actually used Fiverr in the past, for some graphic design and data entry tasks, and the results were uniformly piss-poor. But what do… Continue reading $5 Consults and the Unauthorized Practice of Law

Advice, and “the Practice of Law”

After posting about occupational licensing and the first amendment, and the Texas court decision regarding the dispensing of veterinary advice online, I’ve distilled a few thoughts on where I see the (uneasy) line between lawyer licensing and free speech rights: Providing advice is a form of expression, protected by the First Amendment. The fact that… Continue reading Advice, and “the Practice of Law”