Navigation Board of Governors unanimously opposes non-lawyer firm ownership, fee splitting ideas
Proposals to test allowing non-lawyer ownership in law firms and for lawyers to split fees with nonlawyers have been unanimously opposed by the Bar Board of Governors, but the board was considering a scaled back idea on allowing an expanded role for Registered Florida Paralegals.
The board at a special November 8 meeting took up the controversial report of the Supreme Court’s Special Committee to Improve the Delivery of Legal Services.
The board voted unanimously to oppose amending Bar Rule 4-5.4 on fee sharing to allow minority ownership in law firms by non-lawyer firm employees and to allow fee splitting with nonlawyers, such as online legal service companies.
