Florida Bar to Hold Public Hearing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 24, 2005

MEDIA CONTACT: Jennifer Krell Davis

The Florida Bar

TELEPHONE: 850/561-5666

TALLAHASSEE, October 24, 2005 --- The Florida Bar Special Committee to Study Paralegal Regulation is holding a public hearing on Friday, Oct. 28, from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., in the Hillsborough Room of the Tampa (FL) Airport Marriott Hotel.

This special committee is charged with the study of the status of paralegals working under the direction and supervision of a member of The Florida Bar as a result of 2005 proposed legislation which sought recognition and/or regulation of the paralegal profession.

Current Bar rules define a paralegal as a person qualified by education, training, or work experience, who works under the supervision of a member of The Florida Bar and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a member of The Florida Bar is responsible. The work of this committee does not relate to the unlicensed practice of law and testimony regarding the unlicensed practice of law will not be taken at the hearing.

The hearing will focus on the following issues:

Public policy: including whether it is in the public interest to

establish educational and ethical standards for persons using the title

paralegal and whether standards would be voluntary or mandatory.

Definitional: identification of problems that would be resolved if there

is paralegal regulation and whether the current Florida Bar definition

is sufficient and accurate.

Design: if standards are established, who should determine that the

body such as The Florida Bar? Should a grievance system be established?

Should a distinction be made between the terms "paralegal" and "legal

assistant?" Should there be multiple status levels for paralegals?

Implementation: responsibility for costs and composition of the

regulatory body (i.e., all paralegals, all lawyers, nonlawyers who are

not paralegals, or a combination?).

Ancillary issues: should there be regulation regarding what paralegal

fees may be charged and recovered as part of attorney’s fees? Should

there be more standardization in the educational institutions offering

paralegal studies? Should the requirements for paralegals to be an

affiliate member in certain Bar sections be standardized?