Alberta Paralegals: Divorce Options for People with Financial Barriers
Paralegals aren’t the problem, bad actors in the legal profession are the problem
Lawyers are fighting against the ability for paralegals to file divorces. Paralegal-led divorces make legal services more accessible to people with financial barriers. This often includes women, and BI&POC. Lack of fair access to legal services is an enormous problem in many Canadian jurisdictions.
Recently in media stories, and in direct communications with paralegal divorce firms, Law Societies have implied that paralegal-led divorces are inherently riskier than lawyer-led divorces. This is simply untrue.
There are unfortunately clients who have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous lawyers, and others who have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous paralegals. The problem is unethical legal professionals not paralegals.
What Do Alberta Paralegals Do?
Many people don’t understand what a paralegal does. We aren’t simply “junior lawyers.” We are specialists in how the court system works. This means our divorce files can move more quickly and often with fewer errors.
Here is an analogy:
Doctors have much more education than personal trainers. However if what you want is an exercise program, a personal trainer is going to do a better job, because that is where their training concentrates. Personal trainers are NOT permitted to give medical advice. Patients go to doctors for their medical advice, and they get an exercise specialist to create their weightlifting program. Both professions can co-exist with mutual respect.
Paralegals are the same. Divorce paralegals are specialists in filing divorces. In fact if you hire a lawyer to do your divorce, a paralegal will still do the actual filing.
Divorce Options in Alberta
We don’t dispense legal advice. We don’t represent clients in court. Lawyers do that, as it is their area of expertise. However, the document side of divorce is a paralegal’s specialty. This is just as the exercise component of healthcare is a personal trainer’s specialty. What the law society is asking for is basically like saying that only doctors should be allowed to offer exercise programs.
Without divorce paralegals in Alberta, clients would have only 2 choices: spend thousands on lawyers, or file their divorce totally on their own. Neither of these is possible for many people. A third option is necessary for consumer choice.
If you want to know if a paralegal might be a good option for you, take our Alberta Divorce Quote.

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One of the most common—and often emotionally charged—questions during separation is: How do we determine the value of our home? Whether you’re just starting the separation process or are in mediation, knowing how to fairly assess your property’s value is essential. It’s not just about the number—it’s about creating a foundation for dividing your assets fairly.

How to Handle a Breakup When Your Partner Won’t Move On
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Child Support: Section 3 and Section 7
What is child support?
Child support is the money one parent pays to another to support their children financially after a separation or divorce.
What is the difference between Section 3 and Section 7 child support?