§ Rule 8-2.2 Contents of Application
Rule 8-2.2. Contents of Application
An application by a local bar association to the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar for authority to operate a lawyer referral service shall be in writing and shall be filed with the executive director. Such application shall contain the following:
(a) Statement of Benefits.A statement of the benefits to the public to be achieved by the implementation of the lawyer referral service.
(b) Proof of Nonprofit Status.Proof that the referral service is established and operated by a nonprofit organization exempt from federal taxation under section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(c) Submission and Content of Bylaws.The proposed bylaws or rules and regulations that will govern the lawyer referral service. The proposed bylaws shall include the following regulations:
(1) All members of the proposed referral service shall provide proof of professional liability insurance in the minimum amount of $100,000 unless the proposed lawyer referral service itself carries professional liability insurance in an amount not less than $100,000 per claim or occurrence.
(2) The proposed lawyer referral service shall accept membership applications only from attorneys who maintain an office in the geographic area served by the proposed lawyer referral service.
(3) The proposed lawyer referral service shall agree to maintain an alphabetical member list, updated quarterly, with The Florida Bar. In turn, The Florida Bar shall notify the service of any unresolved finding of probable cause against a member. When probable cause has been found at the local grievance committee level, and the lawyer referral service has been notified, such service shall be required to hold referral to the member in question until the matter is resolved. If the member is in good standing with The Florida Bar after the resolution of the matter, then the member may be returned to the service.
(d) Estimated Number of Panel Members.The estimated number of lawyers who will participate in the service.
(e) Number of Local Lawyers.The number of lawyers in the area.
(f) Statement of Need.A statement of the condition that evidences a need for such service in the area.
(g) Geographic Operational Area.The geographic area in which the proposed referral service will operate.
(h) Statement of Operation.A statement of how the lawyer referral service will be conducted.
(i) Statement of Fees.A statement of fees to be charged by the lawyer referral service, including, but not limited to, fees charged by the referral service to members of the public using such service and fees charged by the referral service or remitted to the referral service by member attorneys.
(j) Statement of No Discrimination.A statement that such lawyer referral service will be open for referral to the members of the public without regard to race, sex, national origin, or economic status.
(k) Statement of No Discrimination in Local Bar Membership.A statement that the local bar association is representative of the profession in the area of the service and is open to all members of the profession on an equal basis.