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| ATTORNEYS DISPLACED BY KATRINA NOW ALLOWED TO SEEK TEMPORARY PRACTICE IN FLORIDA |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2005
CONTACT: Francine Walker,
The Florida Bar
TELEPHONE: 850/561-5666
TALLAHASSEE, Sept.15-- The Florida Supreme Court ordered Wednesday [Sept. 14] that Florida will permit lawyers from areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina to provide limited legal services in Florida to their displaced clients. The order was a result of an emergency motion filed by The Florida Bar that changed the effective date of certain rule amendments that would have been effective January 1, 2006, regarding the multi-jurisdictional practice of law.
“This will go a long way in assisting displaced attorneys and their families and clients,” said Florida Bar President Alan B. Bookman. “It lets attorneys from the affected states practice some law temporarily in Florida. We wanted to provide them with a way to continue working and helping their clients.”
The Court’s Wednesday action allows an attorney from another state to provide certain legal services in Florida on a temporary basis and authorizes The Florida Bar to discipline the attorney for misconduct if appropriate. The attorney must be licensed and in good standing in his or her home state.
The Florida Bar has provided information at www.FloridaBar.org to answer questions about temporary or permanent practice of law in Florida and to instruct Florida Bar members on assisting displaced attorneys and representing victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The full motion and order can be found at the Florida Supreme Court Web site: www.floridasupremecourt.org.
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EDITORS: Please note The Florida Bar is not an association and "Association" is not part of our name. Proper reference is "The Florida Bar." Local bar organizations are properly termed "associations."
[Updated:
07-01-2005
]