October 1, 2024 Letters
Gifts
This letter concerns Rule 4-1.B(c) of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar (gifts to lawyers and relatives) promulgated in 1987, which I strongly support, and F.S. §732.806 (gifts to lawyers and other disqualified persons) enacted in 2014, which I strongly oppose. A reading of the complete statute and Shriners Hospitals for Crippled Children v. Zrillic, 563 So. 2d 64 (Fla. 1990), is essential to evaluate my comments.
Rule 4-1.8(c) prohibits a lawyer from preparing on behalf of a client an instrument giving the lawyer or a person related to the lawyer any gift unless the lawyer or other recipient is related to the client.