BOG Meeting Preview – December 2018
Action Items
This email was sent to all Florida Bar members to provide information on items for action coming up at the December 14, 2018, Board of Governors meeting.
PROPOSED RULE ON LAWYER ADVERTISING
At this meeting, the Board of Governors could revisit a debate over a digital advertising technique that critics contend violates professional ethics. In June, the Board Review Committee on Professional Ethics narrowly voted down a proposal that called for adding subdivision (c) to Rule 4-7.13, that stated, “it is inherently misleading or deceptive for a lawyer to intentionally use, or arrange for the use of, the name of a lawyer not in the same firm or the name of another law firm as words or phrases that trigger the display of the lawyer’s advertising on the internet or other media, including directly or through a group advertising program.” An alternative proposal is now before the Board that would prohibit any advertisements from stating or implying that a lawyer is affiliated with the advertising lawyer or law firm or that misleads a person searching for a particular lawyer or law firm, or for information regarding a particular lawyer or law firm, to unknowingly contact a different lawyer or law firm.
LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS
All Bar, section, and committee legislative positions from the 2016-18 biennium were sunset in accordance with Bar policy. In addition, rollover legislative positions for many Bar sections and divisions, committees and the Board of Legal Specialization and Education were approved, or agreed not to oppose: see www.floridabar.org/legislativeactivity for those positions. The Board of Governors Legislation Committee will make recommendations on renewing expired Bar positions at the December and February board meetings.
COMMITTEE PREFERENCE FORMS AVAILABLE
The annual committee preference form for Bar members seeking appointments for the term of President-elect John M. Stewart are now available at floridabar.org and are due no later than January 15, 2019. John M. Stewart President-elect Stewart will make about 500 appointments to over 70 committees and he wants to make sure he has a diverse group of lawyers from which to choose.
SPECIAL APPOINTMENTS
The Board will be considering nominees for appointment to the:
- Florida Realtor-Attorney Joint Committee (five lawyers),
- Florida Rural Legal Services Board of Directors (one lawyer); and,
- Judicial Qualifications Commission (two lawyers).