The Florida Bar’s fees are second lowest in the nation
The Florida Bar’s fees are second lowest in the nation
Steven W. Davis
Chair of The Florida Bar’s Budget Committe e
For the 17th straight year, every member of The Florida Bar will receive an annual fee statement reflecting no increase in membership fees.
Annual fees for active members are $265. Inactive members pay $175.
It has been that way since 2001, when the Florida Supreme Court authorized a $75 fee increase for active members and a $35 hike for inactive members to address, in part, operational deficits the Bar was experiencing.
Although the Bar is again running at an operational deficit, no fee increase is yet needed. During the past 17 years, your Board of Governors has built up substantial reserves — due, in part, to healthy investment returns — and the board and Bar staff are always mindful when it comes to spending our members’ fees to delay the need to increase fees for as long as possible. At this time and based on current projections and budgeting, no fee increase is likely before 2021.
In 1990, the Bar raised fees for active members from $140 to $190. At the time, the increase was expected to last for only five years, yet it was 11 years before the next fee increase was sought in 2001. In 2000, then Budget Chair (and future Florida Bar President) Jesse Diner was quoted in the News as sayingthat the increase “will hopefully last for five years if no new major programs are implemented.”
These expectations were greatly exceeded with the Bar avoiding any fee increase for 17 years.
Florida lawyers pay the second-lowest fees of any mandatory bar in the United States and its territories. Mandatory bars require membership in order to practice law, and some regulate their lawyers — currently 24 states, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia fall into that category. Of those, bar fees range from $250 in West Virginia to $660 in Alaska. Some states include fees for legal services, some include fees for CLE, and others, like Florida, earmark fees for client security funds.
There are eight mandatory bar states that do not perform any lawyer regulatory functions. The fees in those states range from $98 in Nebraska to $559 in Hawaii.
Fees associated with voluntary state bars range from $145 to $640. Twelve of these voluntary state bars have annual fees lower than Florida.
Annual fees generate approximately 65 percent of the Bar’s revenue, with the balance of other revenue coming from administrative fees, Bar disciplinary costs, advertising, sponsorships, investment income, and program fees. Bar spending does not include the programs associated with the voluntary sections, which have their own revenue sources.
So, in Florida, where does your fee money go?
A breakdown of $265 member fees, based on the fiscal year 2017-18 budget, shows that over 67 percent goes to regulating the practice of law. After that, nearly 7 percent relates to protecting the public from the unlicensed practice of law, and another 7 percent goes to providing information to the public. The remaining 20 percent of expenses are generated for member communications, the Clients’ Security Fund, general administration, legislation, lawyer assistance, and public service programs.
Your Bar fees are used to serve the profession, the courts, and protect the public.
The FY 2018-19 Bar budget, prepared under the direction of Budget Chair-elect Renée Thompson, is published in this News so every member can see where the Bar is spending your money. Many worthy programs are funded each year, such as the Florida Commission on Access to Civil Justice, Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc., and The Florida Bar’s Ethics Hotline.
Your Board of Governors has worked hard this year to identify and streamline some Bar operations and anticipates the current operating deficit can be further reduced with planned technological improvements that are expected to translate into long-term cost savings.
