Many tried and failed. In his quest to become conqueror, Alexander tried, and like the others, also failed. Finally, he grew impatient, drew his sword in the finest Indiana Jones-fashion, and cut the Gordian Knot. After his subsequent conquest of Asia, many looked back at that moment as the key to his triumph. This article discusses the background of these proposals, the current consideration of them, and future challenges facing the bar.
Today there is almost no enforcement of restrictions on unauthorized practice of law.
The reasons for this are both historical and legal. According to a study by the American Bar Association, issues of unauthorized practice of law go back to colonial times before there was an organized bar. The ABA study describes a continuing tension between hostility toward lawyers and efforts to control unauthorized practice of law. The ABA study notes that these UPL activities were generally perceived to be driven by protection of lawyers private interests rather than public demand for consumer protection. Between the 1870s and the 1920s, many states enacted UPL legislation.