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PositionFlorida State Bar

Professional Standards--One of the primary purposes of The Florida Bar is to ensure the highest standards of professionalism in the practice of law for the benefit of members and the public. Toward that objective, Florida Bar programs include ...

Ethics and Lawyer Advertising--The authority for the establishment and maintenance of The Florida Bar as a unified bar association is based on the Florida Supreme Court's constitutional authority to regulate the practice of law in Florida. The Rules of Professional Conduct, adopted by the court, provide lawyers with standards of professional practice.

In addition to disseminating the Rules to its members, the Bar assists them in interpreting its provisions by publishing reports of attorney discipline by the Supreme Court of Board of Governors, and featuring periodic ethics guidance in its official publications and on its Web site. The Bar also provides both informal and formal opinions on certain ethical questions posed by its members.

A toll-free ethics hotline was established in 1985 as an exclusive member service, connecting inquiring attorneys directly with ethics counsel at Bar headquarters in Tallahassee. Informal advisory opinions on an attorney's own proposed conduct can be sought by calling (800) 235-8619. Bar members may leave a message for an ethics attorney to return a call within 24 hours by calling (850) 561-5780. Lawyers may also obtain a written opinion or e-mail regarding proposed conduct form the ethics department. The department's e-mail address is eto@flabar.org.

If a written staff opinion is contested or denied, advisory ethics opinions may be requested from the Bar's Professional Ethics Committee. Proposed committee opinions are previewed in The Florida Bar News for lawyer comment and are subject to review by the Board of Governors.

Ethics opinions are also rescinded as necessary to reflect contemporary standards in the practice of law. A current compilation of formal opinions from the Professional Ethics Committee is contained in a three-post binder. This publication, Professional Ethics of The Florida Bar, is available to all members from LEXIS-NEXIS, (800) 533-1637. The formal opinions are also available on the Bar's Web site at www.FLABAR.org.

The Ethics and Lawyer Advertising Department, as staff to the Standing Committee on Advertising, evaluates and provides advisory opinions on attorney advertisements and direct written communications mailed to prospective clients. The department responds to inquiries and general questions from the membership and the public concerning Rule Subchapter 4-7, governing attorney advertising and solicitation. Information on lawyer advertising can also be found on the Bar's Web site. The department also provides educational programs about attorney advertising.

A Handbook on Lawyer Advertising and Solicitation, published by the Standing Committee, is available on The Florida Bar Web site at www.FLABAR.org.

Admissions--Although misunderstood by the public and many attorneys, The Florida Bar as an organization has no control over attorney admissions. The Florida Board of Bar Examiners is the Florida Supreme Court agency charged with ensuring that only qualified persons will be admitted to the practice of law in this state. The 15-member board of lawyer and public members--together with its executive director and staff--investigates the character and fitness of applicants, develops and administers the bar examination for attorney candidates, and submits for Supreme Court approval the names of those qualified for admission to practice. Admission to The Florida Bar is only finally accomplished by action of the Florida Supreme Court.

Persons requesting information on admission to the practice of law in Florida, administration of the bar exam, or other information relating to entering the field of law in Florida should contact the Florida Board of Bar Examiners at 1891 Eider Court, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1750, telephone (850) 487-1292.

Professional Growth--Another responsibility of The Florida Bar is to assists its members in enhancing their professional skills. Toward this objective and the ultimate goal of more effective delivery of legal services, the Bar conducts several programs including ...

Continuing Legal Education--Live Seminars and Programs. The Florida Bar continuing legal education (CLE) provides an ongoing series of educational courses at the basic, intermediate, and advanced levels to keep its members up-to-date with the law. Because so many members participate in CLE, it has grown to be the largest single program of The Florida Bar.

Course presentations are produced with the assistance of Bar member volunteers from throughout the state. A variety of programs are provided, ranging from half-day seminars to multiday theme institutes. The Bar annually offers its members some 85 different CLE programs, presented more than 400 times, comprising more than 600 approved credit hours of continuing legal education. CLE courses approved for credit are available at www.FLABAR.org.

Videotape and Audiocassette Programs, Nearly 70 percent of The Florida Bar's live seminars and programs are videotaped or recorded for presentations throughout the state and for subsequent sale to law firms and individual practitioners, in-state and out-of-state. A listing of...

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