Title: In Re Integration Rule of the Florida Bar
Citation: 235 So. 2d 723
Docket Number: 39272
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: June 3, 1970

235 So. 2d 723 (1970)
In re the INTEGRATION RULE OF THE FLORIDA BAR.
No. 39272.

Supreme Court of Florida.
June 3, 1970.
Robert M. Ervin, Tallahassee, Thomas C. MacDonald, Jr., Tampa, Patrick G. Emmanuel, Pensacola, Chesterfield H. Smith, Bartow, and Fletcher G. Rush, Orlando, for The Florida Bar, petitioners.
J. Robert McClure, Jr., of McClure, Wigginton &amp; McClure, Tallahassee, for The Tallahassee Bar Ass'n.
Robert D. Schram, Miami, for American Civil Liberties Union, and Bernard J. Penn, Pensacola, in opposition to Petition.
PER CURIAM.
This cause is before the Court on the Petition of The Florida Bar for amendment to the Integration Rule, the objections filed thereto, the suggested amendments thereof appearing in the record and the resolutions endorsing the proposed amendments of local bar associations. After argument by all interested parties, and consideration of the record and briefs, the Court finds that due notice has been given as required by Article XIII of the Integration Rule, 32 F.S.A., and that copies of the Petition and its exhibits have been timely mailed to each member of The Florida Bar. It is thereupon,
Ordered as follows:
1. The objections of Bernard J. Penn to such proposed amendments are denied.
2. The objections of the American Civil Liberties Union to such proposed amendments are denied.
3. The words "a majority of" contained in the fourth sentence of DR 2-102(A) (4), as the same appears in the "Revised Appendix to Brief of The Florida Bar" filed March 2, 1970, are disapproved; in lieu of such words, the words "a substantial amount" shall be inserted.
4. The following language contained in DR 2-108(B), as the same appears in the "Revised Appendix to Brief of The Florida Bar" filed March 2, 1970, viz:
is disapproved and hereby stricken. The comma after the word "law", immediately preceding the above quoted language is stricken and a period inserted in lieu thereof.
5. The following language of EC 7-29, as the same appears in the "Revised Appendix to Brief of The Florida Bar" filed March 2, 1970, viz:
is stricken and in lieu thereof the following language is inserted, viz:
6. The following language in DR 7-108 (D), as the same appears in the "Revised Appendix to Brief of The Florida Bar" filed March 2, 1970, viz:
is stricken and in lieu thereof the following language is inserted, viz:
7. In all other respects this Court adopts the Code of Professional Responsibility, including the Preamble and Preliminary Statements, Canons, Ethical Considerations, Disciplinary Rules, and Definitions, as the same appears in the "Revised Appendix to Brief of The Florida Bar" filed March 2, 1970.
8. Article X of the Integration Rule of The Florida Bar is amended to read:
The Code of Professional Responsibility promulgated by the order of the Supreme Court of Florida entered (_____________ ____________) and the Canons of Ethics for Judges promulgated by the Supreme Court of Florida on January 27, 1941, as thereafter amended shall constitute a code of ethics applicable to the members of The Florida Bar, together with such amendments to the same as may hereafter be expressly adopted by the Court.
*725 9. The following Article XIX is added to the Integration Rule of The Florida Bar:
1. No member of The Florida Bar shall furnish or provide legal services under any arrangement with an organization which shall recommend, furnish, or pay for legal services pursuant to Disciplinary Rule 2-103 (D) (5) of the Code of Professional Responsibility unless such organization shall have first applied to and secured approval of such arrangement from the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar; provided, however, that any such organization recommending, furnishing, or paying for such services as of the effective date of this article shall have six (6) months from such date within which to apply to and secure approval of the Board of Governors for the continuance of such service.
2. Every application for approval hereunder shall affirmatively demonstrate compliance with each requirement of Disciplinary Rule 2-103(D) (5), and shall further affirmatively demonstrate that each lawyer performing or to perform legal services in connection with such application shall execute an agreement with the organization, which agreement shall be filed with the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar and which shall describe the general nature of the legal services to be performed, and provide that:
(a) Any person eligible to receive legal services under the arrangement may obtain legal services independently of the arrangement from any attorney of his choice;
(b) No unlicensed person will provide legal services under the arrangement;
(c) Neither the organization nor any member thereof shall interfere or attempt to interfere with the lawyer's independent exercise of his professional judgment;
(d) The person to whom the legal services are rendered, and not the organization, is the client of the lawyer;
(e) In providing legal services, the lawyer must comply with the Code of Professional Responsibility, including without limitation those provisions relating to the setting, charging, and collecting of fees, and relating to advertising;
(f) Any publicity disseminated by the organization to its members will not describe the lawyer beyond giving his name, address and telephone number, and such other information as may be required to facilitate the access of a member to the services of the lawyer;
(g) Any publicity disseminated by the organization to non-members will not identify the lawyer by name;
(h) No organization shall advertise or otherwise make representations to the public or its members regarding the cost of legal services which may be provided by attorneys serving members of the organization. The cost of legal services depends upon varying conditions and circumstances which preclude determination of the fee to be charged for a required service prior to the time the attorney is retained;
(i) The agreement will be terminated in the event of any substantial violation of the provisions of the Code of Professional Responsibility or the Integration Rule or the bylaws promulgated thereunder.
3. A lawyer shall not furnish legal services in connection with any arrangement approved hereunder if he participated in any manner not justified by a prior relationship with the organization in promoting either the creation of the organization or the establishment of any arrangement for which approval is or might be sought hereunder, or if he sought his own employment, retainer, or recommendation by the organization.
4. The Board of Governors of The Florida Bar may, upon good cause shown, including *726 violation of the Code of Professional Responsibility or of the Integration Rule or the bylaws promulgated thereunder, revoke the approval granted to any organization to recommend, furnish, or pay for legal services pursuant to Disciplinary Rule 2-103(D) (5), or revoke the authority of a member of The Florida Bar to participate therein.
5. The Board of Governors may adopt such supplementary bylaws as it may deem desirable relating to the establishment, approval, operation and revocation of approval of arrangements hereunder not inconsistent herewith.
4. This Order shall take effect Oct. 1, 1970; provided that the adoption herein of amended Article X shall in no way affect the applicability of any rules of professional conduct previously promulgated by this Court to acts or omissions occurring prior to such effective date.
It is so ordered.
ERVIN, C.J., and ROBERTS, DREW, THORNAL, CARLTON, ADKINS and BOYD, JJ., concur.