Bar fee season is underway — members may pay their annual fees online now
As The Florida Bar prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary this year, its annual fee season is underway with the traditional early option of paying online by signing into the Member Portal at member.floridabar.org and clicking the “Pay My Fees” button.
This may be paid via credit card or e-check. It is the quickest and easiest way to pay your annual fees, elect voluntary section memberships, and stay in compliance with Bar rules for trust accounting and pro bono reporting.
Fees remain at $265 for active members and $175 for inactive members.
There are also several other fee payment options in place:
- If you want to pay by phone, call 850-561-5831, option 4.
- Law firms wishing to make a single payment for multiple attorney members should email [email protected] to receive instructions on the Bar’s firm batch procedure. Critical to that process is the requirement that each member must go on the portal, answer the required questions, and then print the completed form to mail in.
- The Bar will mail pre-printed statements in mid-June to any member who has not paid electronically by late May. Using the pre-printed form and mailing in checks is the slowest option and requires extra processing time, so members should not expect to see their payments posted in their portal account for up to four weeks after transmission.
The Supreme Court added a subdivision (g) to Rule 1-3.6 (Delinquent Members) to make clear that a Florida lawyer who fails to file their annual trust account certificate required in Chapter 5 will be deemed delinquent and ineligible to practice law.
To eliminate confusion, the Bar has reworded the historical responses to allow members who do not receive or hold funds to select that option, which is considered to be in compliance with the rules. See the three responses available for selection:
- I am required to maintain a trust account and I am in compliance with the trust account and property safekeeping rules.
- I am not required to maintain a trust account because I do not receive or hold funds or property from clients or third parties in connection with legal representation in Florida.
- I am not in compliance with the trust account and property safekeeping rules.
If you mark option (3), you must email the Bar’s Lawyer Regulation Division at [email protected] with information explaining the way in which you failed to comply with the trust account and/or the safekeeping property rules.
When paying fees online, members will not be able to complete the fee process without completing the trust account certificate.
The mandatory trust accounting certification and pro bono reporting questions are once again on the front of the paper membership fees statement to make them more conspicuous.
Thousands of Bar members fail to complete the trust accounting certificate each year and are, thus, deemed delinquent and ineligible to practice. Returning to an eligible status requires members to submit additional paperwork and potentially result in rejection of court filings.
Members with questions on how to answer the trust accounting certification may call the Ethics Hotline at 800-235-8619 or read the trust account certificate instructions.
Rosalyn Sia Baker-Barnes
Bar President-elect Rosalyn Sia Baker-Barnes said it is “truly an honor” to serve as the incoming president of The Florida Bar, especially as the Bar celebrates 75 years of service to the public and the profession.
“I am humbled to have the opportunity to serve you and represent our Bar, a national leader in professionalism, innovation, and access to justice,” Baker-Barnes said. “I am also excited to work with the dedicated members of the Board of Governors to serve our mission.”
During her term, Baker-Barnes says the Bar will continue focusing on investing in its members to assist with their daily practice, ethical duties, and health and wellness — “which all serve to effectuate our core mission of protecting the public and supporting our independent court system.”
Along those lines, she says an important step forward is the establishment of the Corporate Counsel Committee, a new standing committee created to foster collaboration, provide tailored resources, and evolve to meet the needs of all members.
The Florida Bar has been working for years — and will continue this year — to add value to membership by providing free tools and resources, she said. LegalFuel.com offers practice management and technology tools, along with 188.5 hours of free CLE (including 89.5 technology hours and 48 hours of ethics).
Members are encouraged to visit The Florida Bar Career Center or the Bar News’ classified section to explore employment opportunities and FloridaBar.org to access health and wellness resources. These include the Florida Lawyers Helpline (833-351-9355), a completely confidential service offering five free therapy sessions per calendar year, as well as member benefits, discounts, and other practical information designed to support the membership.
In the fee statement, Baker-Barnes reminds members they also have the opportunity to make voluntary contributions to support statewide civil legal aid efforts and assist Florida’s most vulnerable residents through Florida Funding Legal Aid (FFLA), support the work of the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society, and advance the profession through the Florida Lawyers Association for the Maintenance of Excellence (FLAME).
“I encourage you to consider donating to one of these worthy organizations,” Baker-Barnes said.
