Florida Bar President Dori Foster-Morales is hosting Virtual Town Hall meetings in each circuit to discuss how Florida attorneys are coping during the pandemic and what the Bar can do to assist them in their legal practice and beyond.
Latest News
Free CLE regarding COVID-19
LegalFuel, the practice resource center of The Florida Bar, has created a COVID-19 page with a collection of CLE for lawyers to help with the practice of law during the pandemic. Topics include remote work help, video conference tips, cybersecurity information, how to access business assistance programs and more. Visit LegalFuel.com to see the full listing.
Also, click “Free CLE” in the top menu on LegalFuel.com to get a list of all of their available free CLEs.
Upcoming free LegalFuel CLE webinars:
- How to Stay Happy & Healthy During COVID & 2020 | September 24, 2020 | 2:00 – 3:00 PM
- Get Paid Online: How It Works and Why Your Law Firm Needs It | September 29, 2020 | 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Coping with Covid Articles
Professionalism
Practicing with Professionalism During the Pandemic – Judge Rodolfo Ruiz II, United States District Court, Southern District
Health & Wellness
- Mental Health Tips For Working Remotely (Rocket Matter)
- National Resources for Coping with COVID-19
- Lawyer Well-Being Starter Kit: 10 Tools and Strategies for Legal Employers (Florida Bar Journal)
Remote Practice Management
- 6 Tips for Lawyers Working Remotely From Home (Rocket Matter)
- E-Sign & E-Security (Free) Work-from-Home Readiness Program to Help End-Users During Crisis (RPost)
- Five Legal Malpractice Danger Zones for Florida Lawyers During COVID-19 (Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Co.)
- Five tips to help you run your law practice from your laptop (Florida Bar Tech Tips)
- How to work from home as a lawyer (various resources from Clio)
- Risk Alert for Florida Lawyers on Cybersecurity (Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Co.)
Video Conference/Zoom
- Best Practices on Remote Appearances and Remote Hearings (Florida Supreme Court)
- How to Zoom Securely (LegalFuel)
- How to Install a Virtual Background (Florida Bar News)
- Maintaining Legal Decorum in the ‘New Normal’ (Special Column by Eugene K. Pettis, Florida Bar News)
Mental Health and Wellness Resources
The Florida Bar mental health helpline (1-833-FL1-WELL) is a free and confidential service that connects members with professional counselors. There’s no cost for calls to the hotline and you may be referred for up to three free telehealth counseling sessions per year to help you develop strategies to overcome life’s challenges, balance priorities, and better handle both personal and professional pressures.
Please note: The helpline is for Florida Bar members and is not a referral service to find a lawyer or make a complaint against a lawyer.
Tenga en cuenta: Este número es sólo para miembros del Colegio de Abogados de la Florida (The Florida Bar). No es servició de referencia para asesoría legal ni es donde se presenta una queja en contra de un abogado.
In addition to the following resources, visit the Bar’s Health & Wellness Center for more information.
Opportunities for Lawyers
Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service – The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service helps drive new business for Florida attorneys without a local lawyer referral service. The Lawyer Referral service provides members with more than 70,000 referrals each year in more than 120 practice areas, generating an estimated $3.49 million in new business for members.
Florida Bar Career Center – Job seekers can post resumes, apply to jobs, and read valuable career resources. Employers can connect with legal professionals across the state who are ready for their next career opportunity.
Florida Bar News Classified Ads – an essential placement service for the Florida legal market.
Florida Bar Attorneys Exchange – service for Florida lawyers to market their services to each other.
Law Practice Advice
Lawyers Advising Lawyers is a free service offered to all Florida Bar members who may need advice in a specific area of law, procedure or other legal issue. If you confront an issue in an area of law or procedure unfamiliar to you, the program provides quick access to an attorney adviser with the experience to help.
Member Benefits
More than a dozen Florida Bar Member Benefit providers offer free trials or initial services for Florida Bar members, including practice resources, legal forms and legal research. Take a look at the new Financial Services category, which will have some new services listed soon!
Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company (FLMIC) has published a online resource that examines the malpractice “danger zones” for Florida lawyers during the pandemic. “5 Legal Malpractice Danger Zones for FL Lawyers During COVID-19” addresses several practices that may be increasingly common during the pandemic but which may trigger red alerts from a risk management perspective.
Fastcase has launched Fastcase COVID-19 Resources page, including:
- Fastcase webinars for remote CLE credit
- COVID-19 searches on docket alarm and ongoing Docket Alarm webinars with real-time information on COVID-19 litigation as well as past recordings.
- A live feed of Law Street Media COVID-19 coverage
Employer Resources
The Business Damage Assessment Survey remains a piece of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s efforts to gather the information needed to evaluate and access tools to help businesses potentially lessen the impacts of COVID-19 and help the economy recover.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity provides a comprehensive overview of the state and federal resources available to small businesses affected by COVID-19.
Announcements
The Office of the State Courts Administrator is tracking the status of the different counties in Florida.
The 11th Judicial Circuit is exploring new options for addressing court backlog. On September 2, the court issued an order creating the Trial Readiness Certification Program for their civil division, and on September 8, Civil Administrative Judge Jennifer Bailey issued an order creating the “Judicial Panel Case Resolution Conferences Pilot Program.” Read more in the Bar News.
Florida Supreme Court
The Florida Supreme Court has established a COVID-19 emergency webpage to serve as a clearinghouse for statewide administrative court orders, advisories and memos. The page also includes links to Florida’s trial courts and District Courts of Appeal for information about local court operations and orders.
MOST RECENT FLORIDA SUPREME COURT ORDERS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
August 26: The Florida Board of Bar Examiners has rescheduled the next Florida Bar exam for October 13, with testing potentially continuing October 14 for any candidates who receive test accommodations.
August 24: The Florida Supreme Court issued an order establishing a supervised practice program that will let some applicants for the August 2020 Bar exam work in the law during the pandemic under supervision of licensed attorneys. The program will last until 30 days after the results of the February 2021 Bar exams are released.
August 12: Two new administrative orders amending guidelines for the four-phased timeline that will govern the return to normal statewide court operations. The four phases were established in prior orders issued since the state courts began pandemic operations in March, all based on recommendations of a COVID-19 Workgroup and general public health guidelines. Read the Bar News article for more information.
Florida Office of the State Courts Administrator
Main COVID-19 page from the Office of State Courts Administrator (OSCA)
Recent news and updates from OSCA
Clerks of Court
The Clerks of Court has created a web page with links to individual clerk’s offices, and frequently updated announcements and resources.
Court Links
District Courts of Appeal
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Circuit Courts
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Bar Groups and Resources
The American Bar Association Coronavirus Task Force webpage is intended as a national source of information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the delivery of legal services. It includes resources on remote service delivery, court access and rules changes, legal needs, public benefits programs, and pro bono mobilization.
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA): https://www.abota.org/Online/Resources/Covid-19%20Resources/Online/Resources/COVID-19_Resources.aspx?hkey=d357b9b6-b809-4404-8c6b-4acdc6d358cf
The Florida Bar Foundation: https://thefloridabarfoundation.org/covid-19-and-legal-aid/
Visit the COVID-19 Resources for Voluntary Bars page for online CLE and practice management resources for local bars. Check with your local voluntary bar association for local event cancellations.
Section-Specific Resources
The Business Law Section established a COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery Task Force, and is posting helpful information for business owners.
The Family Law Section has provided two videos on domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic:
The Labor and Employment Section recommends this Florida Department of Employment Opportunity resource for unemployment claims. There is also this page for employers.
The Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar is posting helpful information and guidance on COVID-19 pandemic-related topics.
Upcoming Section Webinars:
- Sept. 16: YLD: COVID-19: What Employers and Employees Need to Know (link to recorded webinar)
- Sept. 24: Tax Section: Practical Estate Planning in Uncertain Times
- Oct. 5: ADR Webinar Series: Be Well, Stay Well – visit their website to register for any of the six sessions.
- Oct. 13: Health Law: Top 10 Information Security Recommendations for Law Firms and Other Businesses Operating in a Remote Working Environment
- Oct. 14: RPPTL: COVID-19 Considerations for Real Property & Construction Disputes
Coronavirus Control & Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Please make sure you read the following information on the CDC’s website:
- How it spreads
- Symptoms
- Prevention and treatment
- Testing
- Frequently asked questions
- Study on symptoms and risks with a delayed return to health after COVID-19
- Study on decrease of flu activity during the COVID-19 pandemic
Helpful Statistics
- Florida Statistics
- National Statistics: from Stanford University and from John Hopkins University
- Information on vaccine progress
Florida Department of Health
- Florida Department of Health is posting updates and helpful information and has created a resource kit.
Recent News
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried announced the launch of Be SMART Florida, a new statewide COVID-19 consumer awareness campaign asking Floridians to take small actions with proven results to slow the pandemic’s spread. Search #BeSMARTFL to keep up with the multi-channel awareness campaign.
Florida’s Chief Justice Charles Canady distributed “Best Practices” guidelines developed by a statewide COVID-19 Workgroup to help people navigate new remote procedures used by state courts in the coronavirus pandemic.
Legal Assistance & Legal Aid
- Florida Free Legal Answers is an online service that matches low-income Floridians with licensed attorneys who can answer basic legal questions. On April 8, The Florida Bar announced an expansion of this service.
- The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Servicr is designed to make it easy for consumers in counties without local lawyer referral services to connect to trusted, verified attorneys. See the coverage area or find your local lawyer referral service.
- Directory of legal aid organizations in Florida by county.
- Florida Courts Help provides information about local self-help centers, free and low-cost legal aid, and family law forms.
- The Florida Department of Elder Affairs Senior Legal Helpline — 1-888-895-7873 — provides free legal advice and brief services by telephone appointment to eligible Florida residents age 60 and older, for civil (not criminal) legal problems.
- The Business Law Section of The Florida Bar is posting helpful information for business owners on its website.
Florida Bar Consumer Guides
The Florida Bar’s “Mass Disaster” consumer guide provides information about who to contact for legal assistance and how consumers can protect their legal rights in the event of a disaster. There is also a series of credit-related consumer guides, legal service and consumer protection guides, and the Bar’s most frequently read guide, Rights and Duties of Tenants and Landlords.
These pamphlets are not a substitute for hiring an attorney, but they provide basic legal information about the topics they cover.
Financial Protection
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers resources to help consumers, students with loans and homeowners with mortgages.
- Beware of scams related to the coronavirus
- What you need to know about student loans and the coronavirus pandemic
- Guide to coronavirus mortgage relief options
Price gouging
Attorney General Ashley Moody has activated Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline for Florida consumers. State law prohibits extreme increases in the price of essential commodities needed as a direct result of an officially declared emergency. Anyone who suspects price gouging during this declared state of emergency should report it to the Attorney General’s Office by calling 866-9-NO-SCAM.
Government Resources
- Governor Ron DeSantis has been making regular announcements regarding the coronavirus pandemic.
- The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has created a COVID-19 page with for info on the CARES Act, SBA loans for small businesses, USDA crop insurance updates and more.
- Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is posting information about reemployment assistance and other programs.
- Attorney General Moody issued a Cybersecurity Consumer Alert advising those working from home to guard against hackers and scammers that could access sensitive information on home computers.