Navigation Supreme Court declines to adopt recommendations on nonlawyer ownership, fee splitting, and expanded paralegal work
The Florida Supreme Court “does not intend to adopt” most of the recommendations from the final report of its Special Committee to Improve the Delivery of Legal Services. The recommendations the court will not adopt include proposals to test nonlawyer ownership in law firms, fee splitting with nonlawyers, and broadly expanding the work paralegals are allowed to perform.
The Supreme Court communicated its position to the Bar in a March 3 letter, saying that it plans to adopt only one recommendation from the Special Committee’s report — amending Bar rules to permit not-for-profit legal service providers to organize as a corporation and to permit nonlawyers to serve on the boards of directors of not-for-profit legal service providers.
The court emphasized that it remains committed to ensuring that the rules governing the practice of law in Florida not only enforce appropriate ethical standards among Florida lawyers, but also meet the needs of Floridians for timely and affordable legal services.
