Florida Bar Investigative Hearing Attorney

Recommend Applicant’s Admission

Best case scenario following an investigative hearing is the Florida Board of Bar Examiner’s recommendation to the Supreme Court that your application for admission to the Florida Bar be granted. The Florida Board of Bar Examiners recommendation is likely to be followed and your admission to the practiced of law in the State of Florida. Because the practice of law is a privilege and not guaranteed, admission to the bar is not a foregone conclusion. Even a perceived slight lack of candor in the bar admissions process can affect whether the Board ultimately recommends your admission.

Consent Agreement

The Florida Board of Bar Examiners can provide your conditional allowance to join the Florida Bar conditioned upon a consent agreement. The consent agreement is a compromise to allow for the allowance of admission based upon specific terms. The consent agreement is commonly reserved for drug, alcohol, or psychological character & fitness problems. While this option is not ideal, it allows Applicants the ability to begin the practice of law under a conditional admittance to the Florida Bar.

Further Investigation

In some cases, the Florida Board of Bar Examiners determines that additional investigation is required into the Applicant’s Character & Fitness to practice law in the State of Florida. For example, the investigative hearing may reveal information that was not otherwise known or understood to the Board. Having knowledge in hand following the investigative hearing, the Board may have new direction and purpose to perform a further inquiry or investigation.

File Specifications

Specifications is the most severe result following an investigative hearing. Once specifications are charged against the Florida Bar Applicant, the Applicant is entitled to a Formal Hearing before at least five Florida Board of Bar Examiner panel in which each member of the panel was not previously a part of the Applicants investigative hearing. The Formal Hearing resembles a typical trial, providing for witnesses, exhibits, cross-examination, and the like. Whether to proceed with the Formal Hearing certainly requires advice and counsel of an Attorney representing candidates before the Florida Bar.