Supreme Court of Florida
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No. SC21-1616
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IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO RULES REGULATING THE FLORIDA
BAR 11-1.3 AND 11-1.4.
January 27, 2022
PER CURIAM.
On its own motion, the Court amends rule 11-1.3
(Requirements and Limitations) and rule 11-1.4 (Certification of
Student) of the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar. We have
jurisdiction. See art. V, § 15, Fla. Const.
To assist with workload issues, we amend rules 11-1.3(d) and
11-1.4 to authorize either the dean of a law school or that dean’s
designee to certify that a student wishing to participate in the law
school practice program as a certified legal intern is of good
character, competent legal ability, and adequate training.
Correspondingly, rule 11-1.4(b) is amended to allow either the dean
or the dean’s designee to withdraw the certification. However, we
leave in place the requirement in rule 11-1.3(a) that the student
receives “a letter of clearance as to character and fitness from the
Florida Board of Bar Examiners.” As this Court has explained,
“[t]he Board possesses the most experience in conducting
background investigations designed to determine issues of
character and fitness for the practice of law.” In re Amendments to
Rules Regulating the Florida Bar, 214 So. 3d 1232, 1234 (Fla. 2017)
(quoting In re Amendments to Rules Regulating the Florida Bar, 964
So. 2d 690, 692 (2007)).
Accordingly, we amend the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar
as reflected in the appendix to this opinion. New language is
indicated by underscoring. The amendments shall become effective
immediately upon the issuance of this opinion. Because the
amendments were not published for comment previously, interested
persons shall have seventy-five days from the date of this opinion in
which to file comments with the Court. 1
1. All comments must be filed with the Court on or before
April 12, 2022, as well as a separate request for oral argument if
the person filing the comment wishes to participate in oral
argument, which may be scheduled in this case. If filed by an
attorney in good standing with The Florida Bar, the comment must
be electronically filed via the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (Portal)
in accordance with In re Electronic Filing in the Supreme Court of
Florida via the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, Fla. Admin. Order No.
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It is so ordered.
CANADY, C.J., and POLSTON, LABARGA, LAWSON, MUÑIZ,
COURIEL, and GROSSHANS, JJ., concur.
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS.
Original Proceeding – Florida Rules Regulating the Florida Bar
AOSC13-7 (Feb. 18, 2013). If filed by a nonlawyer or a lawyer not
licensed to practice in Florida, the comment may be, but is not
required to be, filed via the Portal. Any person unable to submit a
comment electronically must mail or hand-deliver the originally
signed comment to the Florida Supreme Court, Office of the Clerk,
500 South Duval Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1927; no
additional copies are required or will be accepted.
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APPENDIX
Rule 11-1.3. Requirements and Limitations
In order to make an appearance pursuant to this chapter, the
law student must:
(a) – (c) [No Change]
(d) be certified by the dean, or the dean’s designee, of the
student’s law school as being of good character and competent legal
ability and as being adequately trained to perform as a legal intern
in a law school practice program;
(e) – (g) [No Change]
Rule 11-1.4. Certification of Student
The certification of a student by the law school dean or the
dean’s designee:
(a) [No Change]
(b) May be withdrawn by the dean, or the dean’s designee, at
any time by mailing a notice to that effect to the clerk of this court.
It is not necessary that the notice state the cause for withdrawal.
(c) [No Change]
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