Bar seeks a public member to serve on its Board of Governors

Bar seeks a public member to serve on its Board of Governors

Continuing its practice of public involvement, The Florida Bar seeks a new nonlawyer to serve on its Board of Governors.

Since 1987, two public members have served on the Bar’s 52-member governing board, after the Supreme Court approved the organization’s request to have nonlawyer representation on the board. Only 12 other state bars have public members on their governing boards.

The board member will replace Linda Goldstein of Tampa, whose second two-year term expires in June 2024.

Expectations of Service as a Public Member on The Florida Bar Board of Governors

A screening committee of The Florida Bar Board of Governors has been appointed to review the applications for the public member position, conduct final interviews, and make recommendations to the Bar’s governing board during its March meeting. The board will then recommend three persons to the Supreme Court and the court will appoint one of the three nominees to the board.

The Board of Governors oversees the Bar’s lawyer discipline program, continuing legal education programs, legislative activities, and the overall administration of The Florida Bar. Board members, who are all volunteers, average 200-300 hours per year on Bar business depending on committee assignments. Although attorney members of the Bar’s governing board pay their own expenses related to their attendance at six board meetings and other events held each year, nonlawyer board members are reimbursed for “reasonable travel and related expenses for attending official Bar functions.”

The new board member would serve a two-year term commencing June 21, 2024. Public members are not allowed by rule to serve more than two consecutive terms. Most of the Bar’s board is apportioned according to Florida’s 20 judicial circuits, with attorney members elected by lawyers in their locality. There are four additional out-of-state representatives. The other public member currently serving on The Florida Bar’s Board of Governors is Melanie Shore of Gainesville.

Applications will be accepted until close of business on Monday, January 22, 2024. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the required application. The screening committee of The Florida Bar Board of Governors will review all applications.

Persons interested in serving as a public member may download the Application for Public Member on the Board of Governors or call Bar headquarters at 850-561-3127, to obtain the application. Completed applications must be received by the Executive Director, The Florida Bar, 651 East Jefferson Street, Tallahassee 32399-2300, or submitted via email.