Florida Bar V. Siem Case Study

On my first day as the new law library intern I was very nervous to say the least. Ms. Carol assured me that I would be fine and it would take time for me to know the “ends and outs” of the library. Shortly after I arrived Ms. Carol gave me a tour of the library. She showed me specifically how to work the printer, where the office supplies were located, and most importantly the catalog notebook. In my opinion, the catalog notebook will become an important resource for me to be able to assist patrons on the appropriate legal documents that they may need. Ms. Carol then gave me the opportunity to become acquainted with the law library myself. As I explored the shelves I could not help but notice the extensive collection of books that Duval County …show more content…
I searched specifically lawsuits pertaining to paralegals (and their attorneys) and how they were sued for various reasons. One case that I found really interesting was The Florida Bar v. Abrams. In this particular case Suzanne Akbas was a paralegal who established a business to provide legal aid to immigrants who were trying to establish a lawful status in the United States. Akbas then hired Daniel Everett Abrams as a “Managing Attorney”. Akbas assisted Olga Ulershperger and Abdullah Ziya. The couple tried to seek political asylum due to Ziya’s history of being tortured in his country but Akbas insisted that they try to obtain work visas based on Ulershperger’s skills as a gymnast. The couple’s application was denied and their existing work visas had expired. The couple was unaware of their illegal status until they consulted with another attorney. The attorney stated that their previous attorney should have suggested political asylum on their behalf. After becoming aware of their unlawful status the couple filed for asylum which was immediately granted under an ineffective representation exception. Abrams was found guilty of allowing his paralegal to use his license to give unlawful advice to clients. He was fined and suspended for one year by The Florida Bar. Suzanne’s actions were considered unethical under professional responsibility for paralegals. Simply because she did not have