The Florida Bar’s Foreign Legal Consultancy Rule allows a foreign attorney to be certified in Florida as a Foreign Legal Consultant (FLC) recognized to advise clients on the laws of the country in which the attorney is admitted to practice.

FLC certification is a multi-step process that involves two applications:

• A National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) application, and
• A Florida Bar application.

To begin the application process, you must first complete the National Conference of Bar Examiners Character and Fitness Application.

Once you have received confirmation from the NCBE that your application has been processed and a character and fitness report has been forwarded to The Florida Bar, you can then proceed to complete The Florida Bar Application for Certification as a Foreign Legal Consultant.

A Florida Bar application will not be accepted by The Florida Bar until the Bar has received the NCBE report.

Upon receipt of the results of the NCBE background check and your completed Florida Bar Application, The Florida Bar International Law Section’s Foreign Legal Consultant Committee will review each application for completeness and eligibility, and if all criteria are met, make a final recommendation to the Supreme Court of Florida indicating that the applicant should be certified as a Foreign Legal Consultant under the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar.

To learn more, please review Chapter 16 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, which explains qualifications for certification.