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47 Fla. B.J. 1 (1973)

handle is hein.barjournals/florbarj0047 and id is 1 raw text is: BRIEF-Iv wers NEWS H INo EK3DJA 3A3 LAWYER PROBLEMS were discussed in depth last month at a Bar Leaders Con- ference held in Tampa. All local bar association officers or their designees were invited to this one-day conference designed to exchange information on problems which daily face the practic- ing lawyer and his local bar association. Approximately 50 leaders attended, making it the best attended since the program was initiated under past presi- dent William P. Simmons in 1967. What concerns these persons most? On a roll call inquiry, by and large the primary concern was how to cope with the public demand for legal aid services. About 75 per cent of those present listed this item as their foremost problem. The second most common concern was how to motivate membership interest in the local bar, its committee work, regular meetings and its primary programs. The third area of concern was the general area of administration of justice, includ- ing the successful implementation of the new judicial article of the Florida Con- stitution effective this month, a better system for the retention of judges in office than the present nonpartisan elec- tive system, and judicial polls. A fourth area that troubled these bar leaders was the encroachment on the legal profession by unskilled, un- licensed practitioners. This problem was expressed as particularly evident in the middle and lower West Coast areas. Coupled with this encroachment was the view that the no-fault insurance law, as well as the no-fault law on dissolution of marriages are having a negative effect on the economics of law practice. Greater attention to expediting disciplinary matters by The Florida Bar was also urged. Each of these subjects received the attention not only of the conferees, but of President Wm. Reece Smith, Jr., L. David Shear, president of the Council of Bar Association Presidents, and staff personnel from the Tallahassee office. Vol. 47, No. 1 19 JANUARY, 1973 Through group discussion helpful solu- tions were offered by those bars that had faced and remedied the same prob- lems now plaguing other bar groups. GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE Chairmen had their first day-long meeting in Talla- hassee in December. This conference proved to be another success in the over- all Bar program to determine the atti- tudes and feelings of the grass roots lawyers in Florida. Several chairmen objected to the Board of Governors over- ruling their decisions from time to time. Others mentioned that many young lawyers called before grievance com- mittees were ignorant of the fact they were doing anything wrong or were in violation of the Code of Professional Responsibility. Many chairmen referred to the need for a statewide arbitration system to cope with the frequent com- plaints the public has regarding an attorney's fee. The chairmen were ad- vised that Earl D. Waldin, Jr., of Miami is chairman of a special Bar committee studying this subject. A report from this committee was debated at the November Board meeting with the result that local bar association views be secured on the committee recommendations, including that there be a mandatory fee arbitra- tion system established in Florida. Some voiced objection to the manner of ap- pointing grievance committee members by the Board of Governors without consulting the committee chairman. Several straw votes were taken and these were the results: (a) 19 favored release of confiden- tiality concerning judicial candidates' past private reprimands for last 10 years and pending probable cause findings. (b) 14 favored, 5 opposed same re- lease as to candidates for any public office. (c) 18 favored, 2 opposed limited release of confidentiality to complainant concerning private reprimands and prob- able cause findings.

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