Supreme Court of Florida

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No. SC2024-0031

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IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO RULES REGULATING THE FLORIDA 

BAR – CHAPTER 6.

April 18, 2024

PER CURIAM.

The Florida Bar has filed a petition proposing amendments to 

Rules Regulating The Florida Bar 6-3.14 (Sunset of Certification 

Areas), 6-10.2 (Administration), 6-10.4 (Reporting Requirements), 

6-12.1 (Basic Skills Course Requirement), 6-12.2 (Administration), 

6-12.5 (Noncompliance and Sanctions), 6-12.6 (Reinstatement), 

6-12.7 (Confidentiality), and 6-12.8 (Disciplinary Action).1

The Florida Bar’s Board of Governors approved the proposed 

amendments, and the Bar published them for comment. No 

comments were received.

1. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 15, Fla. Const.; see also

R. Regulating Fla. Bar 1-12.1. 
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Having considered the Bar’s petition, we amend the Rules 

Regulating The Florida Bar, as proposed by the Bar. Among other 

things, the amendments reflect current reporting requirements and 

legal specialization processes. They also allow for the extension of 

basic skills course and continuing legal education requirements 

reporting cycles when certain major events, including national 

disasters, extreme weather, pandemics, wars, political unrest, or 

government mandates and regulations, hinder the timely 

completion of those requirements. Grammatical changes are also 

made to improve clarity and promote consistency throughout the 

rules.

Accordingly, the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar are 

amended as reflected in the appendix to this opinion. New 

language is indicated by underscoring; deletions are indicated by 

struck-through type. The amendments shall become effective June 

17, 2024.

It is so ordered.

MUÑIZ, C.J., and CANADY, LABARGA, COURIEL, GROSSHANS, 

FRANCIS, and SASSO, JJ., concur.

THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER 

THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS.
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Original Proceeding – Florida Rules Regulating The Florida Bar

Joshua E. Doyle, Executive Director, F. Scott Westheimer, 

President, Roland Sanchez-Medina, Jr., President-elect, Rosalyn Sia 

Baker-Barnes, President-elect Designate, and Elizabeth Clark 

Tarbert, Division Director, Lawyer Regulation, The Florida Bar, 

Tallahassee, Florida,

for Petitioner
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APPENDIX

RULE 6-3.14. SUNSET OF CERTIFICATION AREAS

 If any certification committee has not received an initial 

certification application for 5 consecutive years, the Board of Legal 

Specialization and Education will petition the Supreme Court of 

Florida to close the certification area to initial applicants. The 

recertification standards of the certification area will remain in 

effect. When the Board of Legal Specialization and Education 

determines there have been no new initial certification applications 

for 5 consecutive years, the bar will post a notice on its website that 

no new applications will be accepted until the Supreme Court of 

Florida determines whether to close the certification area to initial 

applicants. The bar will then accept no new applicants for that area 

until the court makes its determination.

RULE 6-10.2. ADMINISTRATION

(a) Board of Legal Specialization and Education. The board 

of legal specialization and education shall administers the 

continuing legal education requirements as herein provided in this 

rule. Any member affected by an adverse decision of the board of 

legal specialization and education may appeal as provided in rule 6-

10.5.

(b) Delegation of Authority. The board of legal specialization 

and education may delegate to the staff of The Florida Bar any 

responsibility set forth hereinin this rule, except that of granting a 

waiver or exemption from continuing legal education requirements.

(c) Scope of Board of Legal Specialization and Education 

Activities. The board of legal specialization and education shall 

cooperates with and answers inquiries from staff pertaining toon

continuing legal education requirements and makes

recommendations to the board of governors concerningon

continuing legal education requirements, including but not limited 

to:
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(1) approved education courses;

(2) approved alternative education methods;

(3) number of credit hours’ credit to be allowed for various

education efforts;

(4) established educational standards for satisfaction and 

completion of approved courses;

(5) additional areas of education and/or practice approved 

for credit under continuing legal education requirements;

(6) modification or expansion of continuing legal education 

requirements;

(7) adoption of additional standards or regulations pertaining 

tofor continuing legal education requirements;

(8) amount of reporting or delinquency fees; and

(9) general administration of continuing legal education 

requirements.

(d) Maintenance of Records. The Florida Bar shall maintains

a record of each member’s compliance with continuing legal 

education requirements.

(e) Extensions. The board of legal specialization and education 

may adjust the time for completion for continuing legal education 

requirements on the executive director or board of governors’

request for good cause shown, which may include, but is not 

limited to:

(1) national or regional emergency;

(2) flood, fire, hurricane, extended extreme weather, or 

explosion;

(3) disease, epidemic, pandemic, or quarantine;

(4) war, invasion, or terrorist threats or acts;
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(5) extended riots, protest, civil unrest, civil strife, or political 

unrest; or

(6) local, state, federal, or foreign government 

recommendation, regulation, mandate, order, law, statute, or 

advisory.

Requests for extensions from individual members will not be 

considered. 

RULE 6-10.4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

(a) Reports Required Reporting. Each member except those 

exempt under rule 6-10.3(c) must file a report showing compliance

or noncompliance with the continuing legal education requirement 

in the form prescribed by the board of legal specialization and 

education unless exempt under these rules. Members must apply 

for and receive approval by the bar of an exemption from 

compliance and reporting of continuing legal education under 

subdivisions (c)(1) through (c)(3) of rule 6-10.3. Members described 

in subdivisions (c)(4) through (c)(6) of rule 6-10.3 are automatically 

exempt from compliance and reporting of continuing legal 

education. 

(b) Time for Filing. The report must be filedEach member 

must report required credit hours with The Florida Bar no later 

than the last day of the member’s applicable reporting period as 

assigned by The Florida Bar.

RULE 6-12.1. BASIC SKILLS COURSE REQUIREMENT

(a) Preamble. It is of primary importance to the public and to 

the members of The Florida Bar that attorneyslawyers begin their 

legal careers with a thorough and practical understanding of the 

law. To accomplish that objective, each Florida Bar member of The 

Florida Bar (hereinafter referred to as “member”) shallmust comply 

with the basic skills course requirement (hereinafter BSCR) through 

the completion of continuing legal education programscourses

developed and presented by theThe Florida Bar Young Lawyers 

Division of The Florida Bar (hereinafter YLD). Oversight of member 
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compliance with this rule shall be the responsibility of theThe board 

of legal specialization and education (hereinafter BLSE.)is 

responsible for oversight of Florida Bar member compliance with 

this subchapter.

(b) Applicability. Every member admitted to The Florida Bar 

after October 1, 1988, shallmust comply with the BSCRbasic skills 

course requirement.

RULE 6-12.2. ADMINISTRATION

(a) Responsibility. The YLD shall be responsible for the 

planning, content, and presentation of programs for BSCR 

complianceYoung Lawyers Division plans the content and presents 

basic skills courses. The YLD shall alsoYoung Lawyers Division

establishes minimum quality standards for the Practicing with 

Professionalism programcourse, towhich must include instruction 

on discipline, ethics, professionalism, and responsibility to the 

public. The BLSE shallboard of legal specialization and education

oversees member compliance with BSCRthe basic skills course 

requirement and adopts necessary implementation policies 

necessary for implementation. Such policies shall be subject to 

approval by the board of governors.

(b) Delegation of Authority. The BLSEboard of legal 

specialization and education may delegate to theFlorida Bar staff of 

The Florida Bar any responsibility set forth hereinin this 

subchapter, except that of denying a waiver or exemption from 

BSCRthe basic skills course requirement.

(c) WaiverExtensions. On special application and for good 

cause shown, the BLSEThe board of legal specialization and 

education may adjust the time for completion, may waive 

compliance, or accept a substitute program, for either component of 

BSCRthe basic skills course requirements on the executive director 

or board of governors’ request for good cause shown, which may 

include, but is not limited to:

(1) national or regional emergency;

(2) flood, fire, hurricane, extreme weather, or explosion;
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(3) disease, epidemic, pandemic, or quarantine;

(4) war, invasion, or terrorist threats or acts;

(5) extended riots, protest, civil unrest, civil strife, or political 

unrest; or

(6) local, state, federal, or foreign government 

recommendation, regulation, mandate, order, law, statute, or 

advisory.

(d) Maintenance of Records. The Florida Bar shallwill

maintain a record of each Florida Bar member’s compliance with 

BSCRthe basic skills course requirement.

RULE 6-12.5. NONCOMPLIANCE AND SANCTIONS

(a) Notice of Noncompliance. If a Florida Bar member fails to 

comply with this rule, the member shall beis deemed delinquent as 

provided elsewhere in the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar. The 

BLSE shallFlorida Bar must promptly send a notice of 

noncompliance to suchthe noncompliant member.

(b) Appeal to the Board of Governors. A delinquent member 

shall have the right tomay appeal the delinquency determination to 

the board of governors under such rules and regulations as it may 

prescribeprocedures the board of governors prescribes.

(c) Appeal to the Supreme Court of Florida. A delinquent 

member shall have the right tomay appeal the board of governors’

determination of the board of governors to the Supreme Court of 

Florida under such rules and regulations as it may prescribethe 

court prescribes.

(d) [No change]

(e) Tolling Time. An appeal shall tolls the determination of 

noncompliance and resulting delinquency until such time as all 

appeals have been completed or the time for taking sameappeal has 

expired.
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RULE 6-12.6. REINSTATEMENT

Any member delinquent in completion of the BSCRbasic skills 

course requirement may be reinstated by the executive director or 

board of governors upon athe delinquent member showing of 

compliance with the BSCRbasic skills course requirement and 

payment of a uniform reinstatement fee, as established set by the 

board of governors.

RULE 6-12.7. CONFIDENTIALITY

The files and records maintained regarding appeals and hearings

conducted under this rule and any hearings in connection 

therewith shall beare confidential until suchthe time asfor the 

appeals process has concludedended. If a member is deemed 

delinquent pursuant tounder this rule, that fact shall beis public 

information.

RULE 6-12.8. DISCIPLINARY ACTION

The BLSEboard of legal specialization and education may refer a

Florida Bar member who makes a misrepresentation of a material 

fact concerning the BSCRbasic skills course requirement for 

disciplinary investigation as provided elsewhere in these Rules 

Regulating The Florida Bar.