§ 43-20A-6 - Exemptions from provisions of this chapter
O.C.G.A. 43-20A-6 (2010)
43-20A-6. Exemptions from provisions of this chapter
(a) The following persons are exempt from this chapter:
(1) An attorney licensed to practice law in Georgia or an attorney licensed to practice law in any other state or territory of the United States or in any foreign country when acting with the approval of a judge having lawful jurisdiction over the matter;
(2) A legal intern, clerk, paralegal, or person in a similar position employed or independently contracted by and under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney meeting the requirements in paragraph (1) of this subsection and rendering immigration assistance in the course of employment;
(3) A not for profit organization recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals under 8 C.F.R. 292.2(a) and employees of such organizations accredited under 8 C.F.R. 292.2(d); and
(4) Any person employing or desiring to employ an alien or nonimmigrant alien, where the organization, its employees, or its agents provide nonlegal advice in conjunction with immigration assistance in immigration matters to alien or nonimmigrant alien employees or potential employees without compensation from the individuals to whom such nonlegal advice in conjunction with immigration assistance is provided.
(b) Any person who provides or offers immigration assistance and is not exempted pursuant to this Code section shall post signs at his or her place of business setting forth information in English and in every other language in which the person provides or offers to provide immigration assistance. Each language shall be on a separate sign. Signs shall be posted in a location where the signs will be visible to clients. Each sign shall be at least 12 inches by 17 inches and shall contain the following statement:
"I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY LICENSED TO PRACTICE LAW AND MAY NOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE OR ACCEPT FEES FOR LEGAL ADVICE."
(c) Every person engaged in immigration assistance that is not an attorney and that advertises immigration assistance in a language other than English shall include conspicuously in such advertisement the following notice in English and the language in which the advertisement appears: "I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY LICENSED TO PRACTICE LAW AND MAY NOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE OR ACCEPT FEES FOR LEGAL ADVICE." If such advertisement is by radio or television, the statement may be modified but shall include substantially the same message.
(d) Any person who provides or offers immigration assistance that is not exempted pursuant to this Code section shall not, in any document identifying such person as an immigration assistance provider, translate from English into another language terms or titles including, but not limited to, notary public, notary, licensed, attorney, lawyer, or any other term that implies the person is an attorney.
(e) A person engaged in providing immigration assistance that is not exempted pursuant this Code section as a licensed attorney shall not:
(1) Refuse to return documents supplied by, prepared on behalf of, or paid for by the client upon the request of the client. Such documents shall be returned upon request even if there is a fee dispute between such person and the client;
(2) Represent or advertise, in conjunction with immigration assistance, other titles or credentials, including but not limited to "notary public" or "immigration consultant," that could cause a client to believe that the person possesses special professional skills or is authorized to provide advice on an immigration matter; provided, however, that a certified notary public may use the term "notary public" if the use is accompanied by the statement that the person is not an attorney and the term "notary public" is not translated to another language; or
(3) Provide materially false or misleading information in an application for licensure or renewal of a license.