In 2025 The Florida Bar turned 75 and we now serve over 115,000 lawyers around the state. Comprised of six divisions, and twenty departments, the Bar has numerous services to assist members, but it can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to look or who to reach out to.

Often confused with the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, The Florida Bar does not administer the bar exam or review applications to become an attorney. A member’s relationship with The Florida Bar begins after they have passed the bar exam and have been sworn in.

In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey, Jamie Moore, and Autumn Chadwell will be discussing the departments and services available to Florida Bar members and how each can help you maintain your practice, help you understand the rules and requirements to keep you out of the discipline process, and even save you some money.

This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit. Course # 9634.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

• Inventory Lawyers 850-561-5839
• Membership Records 850-561-5832
• The Florida Bar Member Portal (For assistance logging in 850-561-5820)
• Legal Specialization and Education Department (CLE) 850-561-5842
• vLex Fastcase (access through your Member Portal)
• Nota trust accounting
• Sections
• Ethics & Advertising 800-235-8619
• Unlicensed Practice of Law (UPL) 850-561-5840
• The Practice Resource Center (LegalFuel.com) 850-561-5616
• Lawyers Advising Lawyers
• The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service 800-342-8011
• The Florida Bar Career Center and Career Benchmark Dashboard
• Florida Bar Member Benefits
• The Florida Lawyers Helpline 833-FL1-WELL (833-351-9355)

The Florida Bar’s Lawyer Regulation Department plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity of the legal profession in Florida. Yet many attorneys have little interaction with the department until they’re faced with a question, a complaint, or a compliance issue of their own. Today, we’re taking a practical, behind-the-scenes look at how the Lawyer Regulation Department works and what every Florida lawyer should understand to stay compliant and avoid preventable problems.

In today’s episode hosts Autumn Chadwell and Jamie Moore welcome Karla Eckardt, Legal Administrator in The Florida Bar’s Lawyer Regulation Department, to discuss processes within Lawyer Regulation.

Karla Eckardt, a Miami native, moved to Tallahassee in 2007 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in international affairs and criminology at Florida State University. She began her career as a paralegal and later became a legal administrator at a local law firm. Although she initially expected the experience to lead her to law school, she soon realized that her strengths and professional interests aligned more closely with legal administration than with the practice of law.

Instead of pursuing a J.D., Karla earned a Juris Master’s degree from Florida State University, concentrating in legal risk management and HR compliance. In 2017, she joined The Florida Bar as a practice management advisor in what was then the Practice Resource Institute (now the Practice Resource Center).

In June 2023, Karla became the legal administrator for the Bar’s Division of Lawyer Regulation. In this role, she assists the Division Director with administrative and strategic oversight, manages operations and non-attorney personnel within the Division’s Headquarters Department, oversees many of the Division’s financial functions, evaluates and maintains operating and information systems, and serves as the primary liaison to key vendors and contract partners.

This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit including 1.0 hour of Ethics CLE credit. Course # 9586.

REFERENCED RESOURCES:

• The Lawyer Discipline Process
• The 10 Most Important Things to Know About Lawyer Regulation by The Florida Bar
• Lawyer Discipline – A Roadmap to Florida’s Lawyer Regulation System (Florida Bar Journal)
• The Florida Bar – Lawyer Complaints and Discipline
• Florida Bar Rules & Standards
• Florida Bar Branch Offices
• Florida Bar Grievance Committees
• Attorney/Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP)
• Ethics Hotline
• Trust Account Compliance Certificate Instructions
• LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center

Board certification recognizes an attorney’s special knowledge, skill, and experience in a specific area of law. Established in 1982 by the Florida Supreme Court, board certification helps consumers identify specialists in 27 different areas of practice. Although the certification program has been an option for over four decades, only around four percent of Florida Bar members are Board Certified.

In today’s episode hosts Autumn Chadwell and Jamie Moore welcome Lisa McNelis, Chair of the Civil Trial Board Certification Committee, to discuss the requirements and benefits of board certification.

Lisa McNelis is a partner at the South Florida law firm of Roselli & McNelis. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame and attended law school at Nova Southeastern College of Law. She has been Board Certified in Civil Trial since 1996. For more than 40 years, Lisa has represented the injured and their families, initially becoming the first female partner at a well-respected law firm in Ft. Lauderdale and thereafter opening her own law firm with her husband. Lisa has served on various Boards and committees over the years, including Family Central, Broward Legal Aid, and Florida Legal Aid. She is currently serving as Chairperson of the Palm Beach Grievance Committee and The Florida Bar Civil Trial Certification Committee.

This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit. Course #9542.

REFERENCED RESOURCES:

• Florida Bar Board Certification
• Florida Bar News – Board Certification Isn’t Just a Title – It’s a Commitment to Excellence
• Rules Regulating The Florida Bar
• Florida Bar Find a Lawyer