Bar offers words of advice to government lawyers entering private practice
The Florida Bar is welcoming government lawyers to the private sector — with a gentle reminder about the importance of good practice management.
Lawyers who change their Florida Bar contact information will receive a standard greeting:
“It appears you have moved from government practice to private practice. Congratulations on this new and exciting period of your life!”
Every year, the letter notes, the Bar receives complaints about “good lawyers who run into ethical issues on entering solo or small-firm private practice simply because they are not familiar with business practices in private practice and practice requirements” under the Rules of Professional Conduct.
“To address potential problems before they occur, I encourage you to visit LegalFuel, the website of The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center at www.legalfuel.com.”
The letter notes that the website offers information on starting a law firm, managing a practice, marketing, finance, technology, sample documents and forms, and free continuing legal education. “You may be particularly interested in the information on starting your own practice at https://www.legalfuel.com/start-a-law-firm/.”
The letter reminds the transitioning lawyer of a new responsibility.
“In addition, please note that Rule 1-3.8(d) of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar requires each lawyer working outside of government employment to designate an ‘inventory lawyer.’ This can be done by editing your profile information on The Florida Bar’s website.”
The letter refers to trust accounting, the most frequent source of disciplinary complaints.
“To protect yourself against common trust account pitfalls, you may want to consider the free continuing education program, “Maintaining a Trustworthy Account” available at: https://www.legalfuel.com/maintaining-a-trustworthy-trust-account/. Additional trust accounting resources are available at https://www.legalfuel.com/trust-accounting-resources/.’’
The letter reminds recipients that “Florida Bar members are also granted free access to NOTA’s trust accounting software which has been tailored specifically to the needs of Florida members. This program can be accessed at https://www.floridabar.org/member/benefits/practice-resources/trust-accounting.”
The letter also notes that Florida Bar members with questions about the ethical implications of their own future conduct can call the Ethics Hotline at (800) 235-8619 or review other ethics resources at https://www.floridabar.org/ethics/.
The Florida Bar also offers “Lawyers Advising Lawyers,” a free service matching lawyers with 800 attorney advisors who volunteer to assist other members of The Florida Bar in over 90 areas of law and procedure. “To request advice or become an advisor, go to: https://lawyersadvisinglawyers.com/.”
The letter also highlights health and wellness resources.
“Florida Lawyers Helpline (1-833-351-9355) is a free and completely confidential service that connects members with professional counselors who can help them overcome life’s challenges, balance priorities, and better handle both personal and professional pressures. There’s no cost for calls to the helpline and you may be referred for up to five free counseling sessions per year. You can also be connected here: https://www.floridabar.org/helpline.”
“Another free resource is FLA, Inc., which is a separate, independent non-profit that provides confidential assistance to lawyers in managing stress, substance misuse and other issues that can affect your practice. For more information, go to: https://www.fla-lap.org/.”
In closing, The Florida Bar message wishes recipients “personal and professional success as you embark on your new career.”
