The Florida Bar

May 2024 Board Summary

The Florida Bar Board of Governors met May 10, 2024, in Key West. :

The Board of Governors approved . The proposed spending plan, which was revised after being published for member objection, projects $43.2 million in revenues and $48.4 million in expenses for an operating loss of $5.2 million. The proposed revenue reflects a 1.5% increase from FY 2023-24, and a 6.6% increase in expenses over the same period. The deficit is partially offset by investment income from the Long-Term Fund, which contained $71.3 million on March 31. The Bar’s executive director filed an objection as a procedural move so the budget could be revised to reflect $108,000 in additional CLE revenues and an additional section management fee that were accidentally omitted. There was also a Florida Bar member who filed an objection that expressed a concern about the size of the deficit and expressed his opinion that the bar should raise dues.

In addition to the general fund budget, the board also approved the Certification Fund, the Client Security Fund, Litigation Fund, Fixed Asset Fund, and Bar Section Funds. The  will be forwarded for Florida Supreme Court consideration and final approval.

In other action, the board approved  that were generated by a joint Program Evaluation Committee/Certification Plan Appeals Committee review of board certification area exams and pass rates. The subcommittee’s five recommendations included increasing the Board of Legal Specialization and Education’s outreach to potential candidates. The panel also recommended that the BLSE work with each certification area committee to develop review courses that “provide direct, specific, and focused guidance for board certification exam takers without revealing any specific exam questions.”

The board approved a proposed  (Disposition of Inquiries or Complaints Referred to the Bar by Members of the Judiciary). The proposed amendments would make it clear that inquiries or complaints referred to the Bar by members of the judiciary should be “information obtained during the course of the member of the judiciary’s official duties as a judicial officer” and that a judicial referral “does not include allegations of violations of canons, rules, or law relating to judicial elections.” The Supreme Court has final approval.

The board approved a proposed  (Membership Fees) to revise the current schedule used to prorate fees for new members who join the Bar after the first month of each fiscal year. Most new Florida Bar members join either in the first quarter of the fiscal year, or the final quarter, Bar records show. Some members who join in the final quarter are going delinquent in the next fiscal year because they had paid a prorated fee and didn’t realize it was not for the full first year, according to a staff analysis. The proposal goes to the Supreme Court for final approval.

In other action, the board elected Phillip Bonamo, Hilary Creary, and Tad A. Yates to the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee is composed of the president, the president-elect, the Budget Committee chair, Legislation Committee chair, Communications Committee chair, Disciplinary Review Committee chair, the Program Evaluation Committee chair, the Young Lawyers Division president, two board members selected by the president, and three board members selected by the board.

Unless otherwise limited by rule, the Executive Committee has full power and authority to exercise the function of the board to the extent authorized by the board on any specific matter that necessarily must be determined between board meetings.

The Executive Committee notifies the board at the next meeting of all actions taken by the committee during the interim period. Unless modified by the board, actions by the Executive Committee are final.

In other action, the board:

  • Approved a Program Evaluation Committee review of The Florida Bar News that recommended adding an “opt-out” feature on the MyFloridaBar Member Portal that would give members the ability to halt mail delivery of monthly print editions of the News. The board also approved a recommendation to halt mail delivery of the News to inactive members.
  • Approved a Program Evaluation Committee recommendation to sunset the Judicial Nominating Procedures Committee. Reviewers determined that the committee’s mission to advise the JNCs no longer applied due to statutory changes over the years that have transferred that responsibility to the governor’s office.