Formation | April 1950 |
---|---|
Type | Lawyer Regulation |
Headquarters | 651 East Jefferson Street, Tallahassee, FL |
Location |
|
Membership
|
102,000+ |
President
|
William J. Schifino, Jr. |
Key people
|
52-member Board of Governors |
Website | http://www.floridabar.org |
The Florida Bar is the integrated bar association for the state of Florida. It is the third largest such bar in the United States. Its duties include the regulation and discipline of attorneys.
As elsewhere in the United States, persons seeking admission to the bar must pass a moral character screening, in this case administered by the Florida Board of Bar Examiners. Admission to the bar includes passing a background investigation, the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, and the bar exam, which tests both the common law through the Multistate Bar Examination and Florida law through written state essays and state-specific multiple-choice questions. The Florida Bar is also responsible for the governing of Florida Registered Paralegals.
The Florida Bar is home of one of the nation's premier board certification programs. Over 5,000 members of the bar are certified in one of 26 legal specialty areas including civil trial, business litigation, labor and employment, and marital and family law. Board certified attorneys must submit to a rigorous peer review process, prove substantial involvement and education in the specialty field, and pass a written examination.
The Florida Bar's headquarters building and annex are located in Tallahassee, three blocks from the Florida State Capitol.