Bar approves collaborative family rule amendment
B ar approves collaborative family rule amendmentAn amendment to a proposed Bar rule requiring clients be informed and consent to potential expenses involved in collaborative family law cases has been approved by the Bar Board of Governors.
The Supreme Court, after hearing oral arguments in February on proposed family law procedural rules and Bar conduct rules on collaborative law, ordered a change so that clients would be told about the expenses related to attorneys and mental health and financial experts who are involved in the collaborative process.
The board, at its recent St. Augustine meeting, approved an amendment drafted by the Rules Committee to proposed Rule 4-1.19 that clients be provided with information and give informed consent about those expenses. The Legislature last year passed a collaborative law statute, but made its implementation effective 30 days after the Supreme Court approves procedural and conduct rules to govern the process.
The Bar filed the changes with the court on March 30.
