Center for Professionalism updates its downloadable Professionalism Handbook
After a three-year hiatus, The Florida Bar’s Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism has released its 2022-24 Professionalism Handbook. The document outlines the center’s role in promoting professionalism and civility and combines everything Florida’s legal community needs to know on the subject into one handbook.
“We typically update it [the handbook] every two years, however, the new edition was delayed due to COVID,” said Rebecca Bandy, the center’s director. “The new edition features updated Florida Bar rules that are new since the 2019-21 edition was released.”
The handbook embodies and reflects the substance of the professional identity, personality, character, and fitness to practice law that each member of the Bar should exemplify. The 2022-24 handbook may be downloaded for free from the center’s website.
The 171-page handbook includes a collection of professional resources that highlight the importance of civility and professionalism in the legal profession. It includes selected chapters of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar along with Professionalism Expectations, and the Guidelines for Professional Conduct. The handbook also includes the Creed of Professionalism, the Oath of Admission to The Florida Bar, and In re: Code for Resolving Professionalism Complaints (SC13-688).
Bandy said that the center is limiting the number of printed copies of the handbook but encourages everyone to download the electronic PDF version.
“While they’re there to download the handbook, people can view the center’s free resources and CLE information at their fingertips,” Bandy said.
“Professionalism is the pursuit and practice of the highest ideals and tenets of the legal profession. It embraces far more than simply complying with the minimal standards of professional conduct. The essential ingredients of professionalism are character, competence, civility, and commitment,” according to The Florida Bar Standing Committee on Professionalism.
“These resources embody and reflect the substance of the professional identity, personality, character, and fitness to practice law, which each member of the Bar should exemplify,” said Katie Young, assistant director of the Center for Professionalism.
