Title: The Florida Bar v. Dale
Citation: 496 So. 2d 813
Docket Number: 65894
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: October 23, 1986

496 So. 2d 813 (1986)
THE FLORIDA BAR, Petitioner,
v.
James Albert DALE, III, Respondent.
No. 65894.

Supreme Court of Florida.
October 23, 1986.
Joseph J. Reiter, President, West Palm Beach, Ray Ferrero, Jr., President-elect, Ft. Lauderdale, John F. Harkness, Jr., Executive Director, John T. Berry, Staff Counsel and Mary Ellen Bateman, UPL Counsel, Tallahassee, and Robert M. Sondak, Chairman, Unlicensed Practice of Law Committee, Miami, for The Florida Bar, petitioner.
James Albert Dale, III, Gulf Breeze, in pro. per.
ADKINS, Justice.
Upon petition by The Florida Bar, this Court entered an order to show cause why respondent James Albert Dale, III, should not be enjoined from engaging in the unauthorized practice of law in Florida, and appointed a referee to evaluate the questions involved. Fla.Bar Integr.Rule, art. XVI. We have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 15, Fla. Const.
The Florida Bar's petition of September 14, 1984, alleged that Dale, while a member of the Mississippi Bar, was not "an active member of The Florida Bar in good standing" and should therefore be barred from the unauthorized practice of law in Florida under article II, section 2 of The Florida Bar Integration Rule. The petition contained the following allegations in support of the desired injunction:
After conducting hearings at which both parties presented evidence on the merits of the case and in mitigation, the referee found that Dale "did affirmatively represent that he was able and willing to render legal assistance and counsel to Bahl in connection with the purchase and sale" of the restaurant, while charging an exorbitant fee for his supposed title advice, and that the advice as given had adversely affected Bahl's important and substantial rights. See The Florida Bar v. Irizarry, 268 So. 2d 377 (Fla. 1972).
We approve the findings of the referee in this case, The Florida Bar v. Mandel, 417 So. 2d 647 (Fla. 1982); The Florida Bar v. Coastal Bonded Title Co., 323 So. 2d 562 (Fla. 1975), but adopt only in part his recommendations as to the proper disposition of the case. Accordingly, we hold that from this point forward Dale is enjoined from either impliedly or expressly holding himself out as an individual licensed to practice law in the state of Florida. He is permanently enjoined from describing himself as a lawyer or attorney and is to remove all indicia of his status as a lawyer from public view in his title company offices. Finally, Dale is permanently enjoined from giving legal advice and counsel to others concerning real estate transactions or any other matters.
Judgment for costs in the amount of $3,384.25 is hereby entered against respondent, for which sum let execution issue.
It is so ordered.
McDONALD, C.J., and BOYD, OVERTON, EHRLICH, SHAW and BARKETT, JJ., concur.