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I have an old friend who went to Cooley and added me on LinkedIn. They are an "independent legal services professional," and many of their friends are also independent legal service professionals. What does this mean? Would it suggest not passing the bar?

It probably means they are unemployed.

No. It means they're self-employed!

It probably means they are self/unemployed and also have not passed the bar, so they are likely doing paralegal type work....or engaging in the unauthorized practice of law, most likely. Think charging pro se litigants to advise them on what pleadings they need to file, or preparing documents for them to then sign and file on their own behalf, that sort of thing.

It also seems like a fancy way to sound like they are a lawyer when they are not a lawyer.

I know they didn't pass the bar the first time (this was July '14). It just sounded weird because it would mean a solo attorney from a linguistics standpoint, but it doesn't say solo attorney.

I believe some states several years ago were debating creating a "quasi-lawyer" status, where the person could provide a lot of legal services and do legal work/practice without having to be a licensed attorney (which actually is a great idea for society, even if it would destroy the profession)? Maybe they're in a state that has implemented that?