BOG Meeting Preview – March 2019
This email was sent to all Florida Bar members to provide information on items for action or discussion coming up at the March 29, 2019, Board of Governors meeting.
Action Items
2019-20 FLORIDA BAR BUDGET
The proposed Florida Bar budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year will be presented to the Board by the Budget Committee. The budget is ultimately approved by the Florida Supreme Court. For the 18th straight year, annual fees are proposed to remain at $265 for active members and $175 for inactive members. The cost to practice law in Florida remains among the lowest for mandatory bars in the country.
RULE AMENDMENTS
Rules on final action include clarifications and updates to grievance mediation policies, continuing legal education, fees and costs for legal services, policies of the Board of Legal Specialization and Education, and combining the Clients’ Security Fund rules and regulations. For notices of the pending rule changes, please visit The Florida Bar News online at https://www.floridabar.org/news_article_section/notices/.
2019 LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE
The Legislation Committee will report on the 2019 Legislative Session. For updates on legislation of interest to the legal profession, weekly updates, the session schedule, links to contact legislators and other information sources, as well as the policies on Florida Bar advocacy and all approved legislative positions, please visit http://www.floridabar.org/legislativeactivity.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR APPOINTMENTS TO JNCs
The Board will review Executive Committee recommendations for appointment by Gov. Ron DeSantis for one lawyer vacancy on each of the 26 Judicial Nominating Commissions. The Florida Bar nominates three lawyers for each JNC.
NOMINATIONS FOR PUBLIC BOARD MEMBER
Applicants for one of the two public member seats on the Board will be reviewed and three nominees will be sent to the Supreme Court. The Court will appoint one of the three for a two-year term beginning in June to replace incumbent Lawrence Tyree of Orlando.
SPECIAL APPOINTMENTS FOR MARCH
The Board will be considering nominees for appointment to the:
- Statewide JNC for Judges of Compensation Claims for the First, Third and Fifth District Courts of Appeal: Three lawyers for four-year terms.
- Florida Patient’s Compensation Fund Board of Governors: One lawyer for a four-year term.
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR APPOINTMENTS IN MAY
Applications (posted here) are open for the following May appointments:
- ABA House of Delegates: Two lawyers for two-year terms. Application deadline 4/5/19.
- Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc. Board of Directors: Three lawyers and two nonlawyers for three-year terms. Application deadline 4/5/19.
- Florida Board of Bar Examiners: Two lawyers for five-year terms and one nonlawyer for a three-year term. Application deadline 3/22/19.
PROPOSED NEW MEMBER BENEFIT
A new member benefit, UniCourt, is to be considered to add to the more than 60 free or discounted products and services already offered to Florida Bar members. UniCourt is a nationwide case research, tracking, management, and analytics platform that integrates court data from federal (PACER) and state courts into a single, cloud-based application. From sending packages to sending flowers, from booking hotels to searching case law, and from refinancing loans to buying car insurance, Florida Bar Member Benefits offer discounts on both personal and professional products and services. More than a dozen member benefit providers offer free trials, demos or initial services, including practice resources, legal forms and legal research. Visit www.floridabar.org/memberbenefits for the growing list and start saving today.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Florida Bar News digital version now publishes stories continuously, providing breaking news and updated information that can be viewed from both mobile devices and PCs. The print edition is now mailed once a month and includes the top stories of the month and all Official Notices. Follow @FLBarNews on Twitter for new articles as they are posted.