Article of Interest

A Call to Action:  The Texas Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee Needs You!
By:  Shivali Sharma, Chair of UPLC Subcommittee 1B

Every day in Texas, con artists prey on the vulnerable by pretending to be lawyers. Their flashy mailers, attractive business cards, and phony diplomas convince desperate people to fork over retainers that will never see IOLTA accounts. The con artists’ “services” often result in honest citizens losing their homes, life savings, and freedom. Increasingly, Texas citizens are turning to the Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee (UPLC) to fight back.  The UPLC, chaired by Leland de la Garza of Dallas, works to bring justice to Texans who have suffered the loss of liberty, property, or money at the hands of people who are practicing law without a license. To win the battle, the UPLC needs your help!

The UPLC has 38 subcommittees that spread across the state and run on the volunteer efforts of lawyers and laypeople who are committed to stamping out the unauthorized practice of law. Using a streamlined process, volunteers investigate complaints of unauthorized practice of law, contact witnesses, offer respondents notice and opportunity to contest the allegations against them, and report their findings to the UPLC subcommittees. Form letters, an online case management system, and leadership support makes the job easy for UPLC volunteers. The UPLC resolves complaints by using cease and desist agreements, filing suit to enjoin bad actors from committing unauthorized practice of law, and, in some cases, referring the matter to the appropriate criminal authority or governmental agency. 

The UPLC is looking for motivated young lawyers to serve as investigators, litigators, and subcommittee leaders, and we invite you to join our ranks! To review subcommittee leadership opportunities, please click here.  If you are interested in making an impact by helping to bring justice to Texas residents, the UPLC urges you to honor it with your service. For more information about the UPLC, or for a volunteer application, please contact Zara Stanfield or call (512) 427-1341.