Table of Contents
Certified Foreign Legal Consultants
National Conference of Bar Examiners Application (Part B) Instructions
Practicing Florida Law
The Florida Bar's Foreign Legal Consultancy Rule allows a foreign attorney to be certified in Florida as a Foreign Legal Consultant recognized to advise clients on the laws of the bar under which the attorney is admitted to practice. Chapter 16 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar explains qualifications to certification. Contact the Florida Board of Bar Examiners if you are seeking admittance to practice Florida law.
Certified Foreign Legal Consultants
Please download Part A (Florida Application here) and Part B (NCBE Application here) for certification as a foreign legal consultant in Florida. Also refer to Chapter 16, Foreign Legal Consultancy Rule, and Chapter 4, Rules of Professional Conduct, of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar.
Please read the instructions outlined on Part A carefully before mailing your application. Upon completion, three copies of Part A should be forwarded to Angela Froelich at The Florida Bar with accompanying documentation, certificates, letters of recommendation, and a check in the amount of $500 payable to The Florida Bar, along with a copy of your completed Part B. The original completed Part B should be mailed to the National Conference of Bar Examiners, 402 West Wilson Street, Madison, WI 53703-3614, with a check in the appropriate amount (see the application - fee category for amount) payable to the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
In accordance with the immigration law of the United States, the certifying committee has determined that a non-immigrant B-2 visa (visitor for pleasure) will be prima facie insufficient for certification. Similarly, a B-1 visa (visitor for business) will be insufficient in most cases to engage in activities as a foreign legal consultant. Applicants with additional questions should seek appropriate professional advice on U.S. immigration law.
Upon receipt of the National Conference of Bar Examiner's review of Part B, your completed application will be forwarded to the International Law Section of The Florida Bar for review in accordance with Rule 16-1.4(a), Rules Regulating The Florida Bar. If approved by the International Law Section, Florida Supreme Court certification will be requested and you will be notified of the Court's action as soon as possible.
The original background investigation by the National Conference of Bar Examiners takes approximately three to four months; however, each application differs in the length of time the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) is able to secure records or reference verification. If you feel your application is taking an unusual length of time to process, please contact the NCBE at (608) 280-8550 to inquire which items might be delaying their report.
Upon receipt of the NCBE report by The Florida Bar, your application will be sent to a Review Committee of the International Law Section for a final vote in the order of its receipt from the National Conference of Bar Examiners. Because of the volume of the applications, your application can take six to nine months before being sent to a review subcommittee.
Please note that application fees cannot be refunded; therefore, it is incumbent upon applicants to ensure that all questions on the application are answered completely and correctly, and that all additional materials required by the application are furnished. The cooperation of all applicants is greatly appreciated.
National Conference of Bar Examiners Application (Part B) Instructions:
Complete an application for a Request for Preparation of a Character Report from the National Conference of Bar Examiners by choosing ONE of the following options. Complete the entire application. You will be required to sign and have notarized the "Acknowledgment of Complete Application" of the application and three ORIGINAL authorization and release forms.
Option 1: Complete the application online using following link and instructions. After completion and submission of the application you will be required to print a hard copy. Online Request for Preparation of an on-line Character Report - http://www.ncbex.org/ea/
Option 2: Download and print a blank application - Request for Preparation of a Character Report.
Return documents listed above with a money order in the appropriate amount (see the application - fee category for amount) payable to the "National Conference of Bar Examiners" to:
National Conference of Bar Examiners
402 West Wilson Street
Madison, WI 53703-3614
Please note: A copy of the application must be sent to Angela Froelich at The Florida Bar, 651 E. Jefferson Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-2300.
Practicing Florida Law
If you are seeking admittance to practice Florida law, you should contact the Florida Board of Bar Examiners below. There are two ways to qualify to file an application with the Florida Board of Bar Examiners:
1) by graduating from an ABA accredited law school or
2) membership in another state bar in the United States.
Florida Board of Bar Examiners
1891 Eider Court
Tallahassee 32399-1750
850/487-1292
http://www.floridabarexam.org
Please note: A member of another state bar of the United States can practice in Florida under certain circumstances. For more information, please call the Unlicensed Practice of Law Department of The Florida Bar at 850/561-5840.