Every attorney who wants to practice law
in the state of Florida must be a member of The Florida
Bar. The Florida Bar is an association of all lawyers who
are licensed by the Supreme Court of Florida to practice
law in this state. Before hiring an attorney, Floridians
should first make sure that the attorney has legitimate
and up-to-date credentials with The Florida Bar association.
For example, you can be assured that each Tampa
personal injury attorney at Clark and Martino, P.A.,
is a current member in good standing with The Florida Bar.
Today, The Florida Bar association has more
than 81,000 members. According to Florida’s constitution,
the Supreme Court of Florida has the ultimate authority
to regulate and discipline people who are practicing law
in Florida. As part of the Supreme Court of Florida, The
Florida Bar prosecutes unethical lawyers, helps clients
who may have been victimized by lawyer fraud in Florida,
and provides several other services to the public. Many
people are surprised to learn that The Florida Bar association
and all of its functions are not supported by state tax
dollars.
The history of the term “bar”
is quite interesting. It began in England during the early
1300s when a system of courts was established to settle
disagreements among the people. In these early days, court
cases were held in open gathering places. Courts quickly
grew in number, and people looked forward to court sessions
as an opportunity for entertainment, socializing, and education.
Soon, court had to be held in fields to accommodate the
crowds.
In the midst of the ensuing chaos, courts
put up boundaries to separate the public audience from the
legal proceedings. Those boundaries were constructed out
of logs, known as “bars.” Eventually, practicing
law meant you were admitted “into the bar.”
The term “bar” is now defined as a group of
people practicing law in a certain location.
The Florida State Bar Association began
as a voluntary association in 1907. During its 100 years
in existence, the name was simplified to The Florida Bar
and admission became mandatory for attorneys practicing
law in Florida. Even though it’s illegal to practice
law in Florida without being a member of The Florida Bar,
it’s still wise for people to double-check that their
attorney is, in fact, a current member of The Florida Bar.
For more information on our Florida Bar status and to learn
more about hiring a board-certified Tampa
personal injury attorney, please call or e-mail Clark
and Martino, P.A.