As I said, many students are entering my program with master's degrees in various disciplines, and at least three have had degrees in the mental health field. I asked Burrows if she thought they would be good candidates for legal therapy certification and she thought they'd make excellent candidates. She explained that many times LTCs have a hard time understanding their role as advocates for the client. Counselors typically want to make it better for everybody. They may want to try to save the marriage, and find it uncomfortable to act as an advocate for only one side.
Paralegals also understand the ethical duties involved in dealing with clients.
Burrows said that when she designed the curriculum for the Legal Therapy Institute, she borrowed from various paralegal model codes of ethics. This is a specialty area that could greatly enhance the practice of law and expand the role paralegals play in it. Lawyers have just recently recognized the value of using nurses in their practices. Legal nurses are valuable because of a combination of medical and legal training. Imagine what these talented individuals can offer to any case involving medical issues.