When Arizona changed its ethics rules in 2020 opening the door for alternative business structures and nonlawyer ownership for law firms, it sent shock waves throughout the legal industry.
The notion of nonlawyer ownership has long been a third rail, often resulting in bitter conflict between its proponents who think that it could help bridge the access-to-justice gap and its opponents who believe it could corrupt the practice of law and harm the public.
LegalZoom is certainly no stranger to this battle. The DIY pioneers acted quickly, and in 2021, the Arizona Supreme Court approved its application for an alternative business structure, LZ Legal Services.
That means that LegalZoom can hire lawyers and provide “limited” legal services to small businesses and people in Arizona. For some, it could be the first step toward making the law more accessible to all—particularly low-to-moderate income people who might not be able to afford a lawyer. For others, it could be beginning of the end for the legal industry as we know it.
In this episode of the Legal Rebels Podcast Nicole Miller, the chief legal officer of LegalZoom, speaks to the ABA Journal’s Victor Li about LegalZoom’s experience in Arizona thus far, as well as general issues relating to regulatory reform and alternative business structures.
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In This Podcast:
Nicole Miller
Nicole Miller is the chief legal officer of LegalZoom. Before joining LegalZoom, Miller worked in many roles, most recently as general counsel at the Honest Company, an American consumer goods company. Before the Honest Company, Miller practiced corporate law at Cooley and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She has a bachelor of arts degree in humanities from Stanford University and a JD from the University of Texas School of Law.
