Law on Call Begins Operating in Washington
The nonlawyer-owned firm joins a state pilot project testing alternative ownership models for legal services.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Law
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Law on Call, a licensed law firm owned entirely by nonlawyers, is now operating in Washington after the state Supreme Court approved it. The firm is the first entirely nonlawyer-owned law firm to operate in three U.S. states, including Arizona and Utah.
Why it matters
The move tests whether new ownership models can expand access to legal services in Washington. Its participation in a state-run evaluation could inform future regulatory decisions on who may own law firms.
The Washington State Bar Association will collect data to evaluate the pilot and its participating entities, which currently include Law on Call across three states. The pilot is set to run at least 10 years, tentatively through 2036, and the results of that evaluation remain unknown.
The players
Law on Call
Law on Call is a licensed law firm that is the first entirely nonlawyer-owned firm to operate in three U.S. states.
Washington State Bar Association
The Washington State Bar Association is the state's licensing body for attorneys, and it runs the Entity Regulation Pilot Project under review.
Washington State Supreme Court
The Washington State Supreme Court is the state's highest court, which approved Law on Call to operate in Washington.
The details
Law on Call launched in 2021 and offers clients unlimited access to attorney advice, with optional legal work available at discounted rates. The firm operates only in states that have opened their rules to new ownership models and entered Washington as part of the WSBA Entity Regulation Pilot Project.
Timeline
2021: Law on Call launches.
November 5, 2026: Law on Call's expansion into Washington is announced from Spokane.
Tentatively 2036: The WSBA pilot project is expected to end.
Legal Context
Law on Call's Washington entry is part of the WSBA Entity Regulation Pilot Project, a multi-year test of nonlawyer ownership of legal firms. The pilot's data collection through 2036 will determine whether Washington adopts permanent rules for such entities.
Washington residents seeking legal help may gain access to a firm offering unlimited attorney advice and discounted optional services. Those services will be part of a state-monitored pilot whose results will shape how such firms are regulated.
The takeaway
Readers considering nonlawyer-owned legal services in Washington should check whether a provider is part of the WSBA pilot, which will be evaluated over the coming decade. The pilot's data will reveal whether such models serve clients well before any permanent rules are set.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Law news in Washington.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Manila times.
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