PER CURIAM.
This is an original action brought by the Nebraska Supreme Court Commission on Unauthorized Practice of Law (Commission) to enjoin Paul J. Hansen from engaging in the unauthorized practice of law.
In November 2011, the Commission received a complaint from legal counsel for the Nebraska State Patrol alleging that Hansen was engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. The complaint alleged that Hansen was "maintaining a website selling presentations on filing evictions and common law l[ie]ns" and that Hansen was "holding himself out as a lawyer and counsel, but not as an attorney." After an investigation, the Commission found that Hansen was not a lawyer and that he had engaged in the practice of law as defined
The Commission mailed a certified letter dated February 23, 2012, to Hansen at his Omaha, Nebraska, address, directing him to contact the Commission and to cease and desist from engaging in the unauthorized practice of law. Copies of the Commission's written findings and this court's rules governing the unauthorized practice of law were enclosed with this letter. When the letter was returned unclaimed, the Commission arranged for it to be personally served on Hansen at his Omaha address by the Douglas County sheriff's office. Personal service on Hansen occurred on April 2 at the Omaha address shown on his Web site.
Several days later, the Commission received a written response purportedly signed by Hansen and bearing the Omaha address at which he was served. The response referred to the Commission's letter of February 23, 2012, and included the following statements, which we quote verbatim including grammatical, typographical, and spelling errors:
On May 30, 2012, the Commission filed a petition for injunctive relief pursuant to Neb. Ct. R. § 3-1015. The petition alleged that Hansen had been engaging in the unauthorized practice of law from October 25, 2010, to the present in the following particulars:
The petition further alleged that the Commission had served Hansen with its findings and a request to cease and desist, but that he had not agreed to do so. The petition alleged that the Commission had no adequate remedy at law and prayed
Hansen was personally served with a copy of the petition and summons at his Omaha address on June 21, 2012. On July 2, he filed a pleading captioned "Foreign Plea in Abatement." Because pleas in abatement are not provided for in civil actions,
The hearing master conducted an evidentiary hearing which commenced on November 12, 2012, and was continued to December 27, when it concluded. Hansen received notice of the hearing but did not appear. Evidence received at the hearing included an Internet posting dated January 12, 2012, in which Hansen provided his location as "Omaha, NE" and stated: "I am a `common law' Lawyer. I counsel clients all over America and a few in foreign countries, vi [sic] internet." There was also evidence that when a telephone call was placed to Hansen's office on November 8, 2012, a recorded message stated: "You have reached the law office of Paul Hansen. Leave your name, number, best time to call you, your time zone, and email if you are a client." There was also evidence that Hansen's Internet postings included information about his hourly rates.
The hearing master filed a report on February 7, 2013. He found that Hansen is not a licensed Nebraska lawyer and that Hansen "is and was holding himself out as a regular attorney practitioner in the State of Nebraska." The hearing master thus found "by clear and convincing evidence that ... Hansen has engaged and is engaged in the unauthorized practice of law contrary to Nebraska law and the rules of the Nebraska Supreme Court." On the basis of this finding, he recommended that an injunction be issued.
On March 20, 2013, this court entered an order directing that copies of the hearing master's report and recommendation be mailed to all parties. The order established deadlines for filing exceptions to the hearing master's report and for filing supporting briefs pursuant to Neb. Ct. R. § 3-1017(B). No exceptions or briefs were filed by either party. On April 24, this court entered an order advising the parties that the matter would be deemed submitted as of May 6, in the absence of objection by either party. No objections were filed.
This court has the inherent power to define and regulate the practice of law and is vested with exclusive power to determine the qualifications of persons
Pursuant to our inherent authority to define and regulate the practice of law in Nebraska, this court has adopted rules specifically addressed to the unauthorized practice of law.
The question, then, is whether Hansen, as a nonlawyer, has engaged in the "practice of law," which is defined by § 3-1001 as follows:
In its petition for injunctive relief, the Commission alleged that Hansen had engaged in the conduct described in § 3-1001(A) and (B). The hearing master did not make a specific finding that Hansen had given legal advice or counsel to any person or entity with whom he had a relationship of trust or reliance. Nor did he specifically find that Hansen had selected, drafted, or completed legal documents for any specific person. Based upon our de novo review of the record, we find insufficient evidence to show that Hansen engaged in the unauthorized practice of law as defined by § 3-1001(A) and (B). The evidence does support an inference that Hansen sold certain forms from his Web site, including "common law liens" and an "eviction package." But our unauthorized practice of law rules do not prohibit "[n]onlawyers selling legal forms in any format, so long as they do not advise or counsel another regarding the selection, use, or legal effect of the forms."
But the evidence in the record fully supports the finding of the hearing master that Hansen "is and was holding himself out as a regular attorney practitioner in the State of Nebraska." On his Web site and other Internet postings, Hansen identifies himself as a "Lawyer/Counsel without the United States," a "`common law' Lawyer," and "Legal Counsel." When a call is placed to his telephone number within area code 402, a recorded message states that the caller has reached "the law office of Paul Hansen." We agree with the finding of the hearing master that "the unsophisticated potential client, reading... Hansen's proffered literature and viewing his statements on the internet, and corresponding with him, would believe that... Hansen is licensed to practice law in Nebraska and capable of giving sound legal advice."
From his response to the Commission's letter informing him of its findings and his filings in this court, it appears that Hansen believes that he is not subject to state law and is free to practice law without a license so long as he does so on "land not owned by the United States." He is mistaken.
We adopt the findings of the hearing master that Hansen has held himself out as a lawyer authorized to practice in Nebraska and that he continues to do so. This constitutes the unauthorized practice of law under the definition set forth in § 3-1001(E) and falls within the general prohibition of § 3-1003 applicable to nonlawyers such as Hansen. Although the Commission did not specifically allege in its petition that Hansen was engaged in the unauthorized practice of law by holding himself out as being authorized to practice law, that fact is implicit in its
Accordingly, by separate order entered on June 14, 2013, Hansen is enjoined from engaging in the unauthorized practice of law in any manner, including but not limited to holding himself out to another as being entitled to practice law as defined by § 31001.
INJUNCTION ISSUED.