Social media Florida Board of Bar Examiners

The Florida Board of Bar Examiners Checks Social Media

I’ve known for the last seven years that the Florida Board of Bar Examiners has been checking up on my client’s social media profiles but I never actually had proof. UNTIL NOW! The Florida Board of Bar Examiners Checks Social Media.

While preparing a client for the upcoming Tampa hearings she sent me and email from her linked in account that “Bar Counsel for the Florida Bar” had visited and navigated her linkedin page. Not everyone pays Linkedin for a premium profile where you can see who visited your page but luckily my client does. The Board has never hid the fact that they check social media and I think they are wise to check it but for the most part I always felt as if most of my clients didn’t believe me when I explained just how far they would go to “catch you”. Linkedin is essentially an online resume so if it is inconsistent with the resume or job opportunities you represented to the law school and to the Florida Bar it could create a serious candor issue for the applicant.

It is perfectly acceptable to have a few crazy fun pictures posted but be mindful of what the Board is looking at your profile for. For instance if you have had multiple DUI’s in the past and now you are claiming to be sober and to abstain from alcohol don’t be photographed with a drink in your hand (any drink) it is just common sense. As far as I know they can’t circumnavigate the privacy settings on facebook. They could technically subpoena the information so the best policy is don’t post anything on the internet anywhere that you don’t want the Florida Board of Bar Examiners to see.

The Florida Board of Bar Examiners Checks Social Media

For more information on how to better be prepared for your upcoming hearing before the Florida Board of Bar Examiners call attorney Lars Soreide at (954) 760-6552.

Character and Fitness Hearings Fort Lauderdale

The Florida Board of Bar Examiners announced that they will set special set hearings for applicants with investigative and formal hearings on April 25th and April 26th in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. If approached by the Board of Bar Examiners to take an earlier hearing every Applicant should be asking am I ready. There is a natural inclination to just want to get it over with but if the Board of Bar Examiners files specifications and you now are facing a formal hearing you could be looking at an 8 month to a year extra delay to your file. We are representing Applicants in the upcoming Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach special set hearings before the Florida Board of Bar Examiners character and fitness hearings. Upcoming Florida Bar Character and Fitness Hearings Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach are April 25th and April 26th.

They do allow the 15 day rule to be waived to submit your evidence in advance if they notice you within the 15 day window. In this case you can just bring your exhibits with you to the hearing itself. Make sure you bring with you 5 copies of anything you intend to submit which will be one copy for each Board member, one for the record and one for you. If you are not sure if you are ready for your Florida Board of Bar Examiners Character and Fitness Hearing on a moments notices than you should wait. Only if you are fully prepared and done all the leg work in advance should you jump at the opportunity to rush into an earlier hearing.  If you are not sure you should contact an attorney for a consultation. Soreide Law Group has represented hundreds of Applicants before the Florida Board of Bar Examiners and can help you navigate the tough decision of am I ready or not? No two hearings are the same and each hearing requires evidence and testimony tailored to your specific fact set. Many of these items can be obtained quickly so it will vary case by case if an earlier hearing before the Florida Board of Bar Examiners is right for you. Our firm travels to every hearing location to represent Applicants but we are located in Pompano Beach Florida which close to the upcoming Fort Lauderale and West Palm Beach hearings.