Title: The Florida Bar v. Neadel

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

297 So. 2d 305 (1974)
THE FLORIDA BAR, Petitioner,
v.
Margaret Celia NEADEL, Respondent.
No. 43766.

Supreme Court of Florida.
June 26, 1974.
Leonard Rivkind, Norman K. Schwarz, Miami Beach, and Richard C. McFarlain, Tallahassee, for petitioner.
Angus M. Stephens, Jr., of Stephens & McMillen, Miami, for respondent.
PER CURIAM.
This matter involves an unauthorized practice of law proceeding. Pursuant to request of Respondent Margaret Celia Neadel, this Court under paragraph 4(e), Article 16 of the Integration Rules of The Florida Bar, 32 F.S.A., appointed Judge David Popper, a Circuit Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida, to serve as referee to hold an evidentiary hearing upon the complaint and answers herein and report his findings of fact and recommendations to this Court.
The referee has duly held the hearing. A resume of his report, including his findings and recommendations, is hereinafter outlined which serves to set forth the nature of this proceeding.
The referee found as follows:
That Margaret Celia Neadel is not a member of The Florida Bar; that she is engaged in the business of advertising, soliciting, and arranging for divorces in a foreign country, namely the Dominican Republic; that in the yellow pages of the Miami telephone directory her name, address and telephone number in Miami, Florida, have recently appeared with advertisements reading: "If counseling fails 24 hour divorce Dominican Republic legal and recognized in most states call Celia Neadel" and "Divorce 24 hours Dominican Republic  call 945-5917" (Respondent's telephone number); that within the last two years Respondent has given legal advice on three specific occasions to Florida Bar investigators concerning: documents and procedure required to obtain a Dominican Republic divorce; the validity of a Dominican Republic divorce; and matters relating to custody and support in connection with matrimonial litigation; that Respondent furnished a Florida Bar investigator a power of attorney form and information sheet and gave him legal advice concerning securance of a Dominican Republic divorce and prepared for him an affidavit of publication as an alternative to the execution of the power of attorney.
That in November 1973 in Dade County, Florida, Respondent gave legal advice to Mr. and Mrs. William J.E. Black concerning securance of a divorce in the Dominican Republic, including: its validity; *306 child support, Mrs. Black's entitlement to alimony; property settlement arrangement between the two; and procedures and grounds involved in obtaining Dominican Republic divorces under the laws of the Republic. Respondent prepared for the Blacks' documents for a property settlement agreement, a waiver of alimony and a special power of attorney for Mrs. Black as defendant. Respondent caused all papers requiring signatures to be signed by the Blacks and notarized the same as a Notary Public of the State of Florida.
On or about November 29, 1973 Responden met Mr. Black at the Miami airport with ticket and necessary papers to proceed to the Dominican Republic to obtain a 24-hour divorce. Mr. Black flew there and on November 30, 1973 appeared in court with a Dominican Republic attorney arranged for by Respondent. They appeared before the judge of the court.
The referee concluded from the foregoing that Respondent gave legal advice in Florida while not being licensed to practice law herein; and that the advice as related was of such magnitude and seriousness to warrant discipline of Respondent for the unauthorized practice of law, citing The Florida Bar v. Liggio-Mendez, Fla., 279 So. 2d 861, and Application of New York County Lawyers Association, 4 Misc.2d 728, 156 N.Y.S.2d 651; Kugler v. Haitian Tours, Inc., 120 N.J. Super. 216, 293 A.2d 706.
The referee recommended as follows:
It is the judgment of this Court that the report, findings and recommendations of the referee be and the same are hereby approved; that the Respondent Margaret Celia Neadel be and she is found in contempt of Court for her related unauthorized practice of law activities and is fined Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250), payable within twenty days to the Clerk of this Court, and is hereby permanently enjoined from further engaging in the unauthorized practice of law.
It is further ordered that The Florida Bar bring to the attention of this Court subsequent unauthorized practice of law violations, if any, of Respondent Margaret Celia Neadel for due consideration, it being the intention of this Court that if Respondent is found guilty of further violations that she be disciplined by appropriate fine and/or imprisonment. Costs in this matter are to be determined by referee and as so found are hereby assessed against Respondent.
It is so ordered.
ADKINS, C.J., and ERVIN, BOYD, McCAIN and DEKLE, JJ., concur.