The Florida Bar

January 2022 Meeting Summary

Report from BOG

The Florida Bar Board of Governors met on January 21, 2022. The Board’s included:

Chief Justice Canady opened his remarks by praising the Supreme Court’s collaboration with The Florida Bar and its leaders. Justice Canady said a 10% pay raise for circuit and county court judges is the Supreme Court’s top priority for the 2022 Legislative Session.

Justice Canady also remarked on the expected court backlog, adding that the Court order featuring case management issued in April, , has resulted in a backlog-reduction. Between July and December last year, the backlog in circuit civil cases fell 36%, and the backlog in county civil cases fell 26%.

Justice Canady stated that he appreciated the concerns addressed in the December 29 letter to the Court from Bar President Michael Tanner on behalf of the Board regarding proposals from the Special Committee to Improve the Delivery of Legal Services to test nonlawyer ownership in law firms, fee splitting with nonlawyers, and broadly expanding the work paralegals could perform. Justice Canady assured the Board that “whatever happens coming out of that report, if anything, will only happen after there’s full collaboration with the board, and full opportunity for input from the members of the Bar and the public.” 

 

The Board also heard a  report on its review of the potential for a fully-automated, remote platform for the resolution of civil small claims. Task force members have surveyed Bar members and are meeting with platform providers.

Florida Bar Foundation Executive Director Donny MacKenzie reported to the Board on the Foundation’s “One Promise” campaign that seeks to connect volunteer lawyers with pro bono training, resources, and support to assist low-income Floridians with legal issues. . The Foundation encouraged Board members to visit the Foundation website  to take a case.

In other action, the Board:

  • Voted to recommend acceptance of proposed amendments to Bar Rule 3-5.2 that would put in place procedures to emergency suspend lawyers facing felony charges in state or federal court when necessary to protect the public.
  • Declined to recommend a Disciplinary Procedure Committee proposal for an amendment to Bar Rule 3-7.2 that would have required Florida Bar members who enter a diversion program in any criminal case, or who receive a censure or reprimand in another state, to notify The Florida Bar.
  • Learned from Board Technology Committee Chair Paige Greenlee that a much-anticipated Florida Bar Tech Support Helpline should be operational in February.
  • Voted to recommend approval of a Rules Committee proposal to amend Bar Rule 1-3.5 (Retirement). The proposed amendments would require retired lawyers to affirmatively state their retired status when they indicate Florida Bar membership and prohibit retired lawyers from holding themselves out as able to practice law in Florida unless they are certified as emeritus lawyers.
  • Reversed a Standing Committee on Advertising decision regarding the payment of a portion of a webinar registration fee to a third party who promotes the lawyer’s webinar on social media. The Board concluded that the webinar and promotional materials are not subject to the advertising rules in subchapter 4-7 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar on the conditions that the inquirer: 1) will not accept the representation of any webinar attendees who seek legal services, 2) will not mention legal services or the inquirer’s law firm in any way, and 3) will not accept any referral fees for webinar attendees who seek other lawyers.

IMPORTANT LINKS AND REMINDERS

BAR ELECTIONS

Bar members will be getting their Bar Election ballot soon! The email will come from Election Services Corporation, which administers The Florida Bar’s elections, so make sure to whitelist the email address . Members will receive their ballot, either by email or postal mail on or before March 1.