(a) Certification. A law student at an American Bar Association-approved Florida law school who has applied for admission to The Florida Bar, received an initial clearance letter as to character and fitness from the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, completed a law school practice program awarding a minimum of 3 semester credit hours or the equivalent or requiring at least 200 hours of actual participation in the program, and whose law school dean has withdrawn certification for the program may make appearances for any of the same supervisory authorities under the same circumstances and restrictions that were applicable to students in law school programs under this chapter if the supervising lawyer:
(1) files a certification in the same manner and subject to the same limitations as that required to be filed by the law school dean;
(2) further certifies that the lawyer assumes the duties and responsibilities of a supervising lawyer under this chapter; and
(3) files a separate certificate of the dean stating that the law student has successfully completed the law school practice program. This certification may be withdrawn in the same manner as provided for the law school dean’s withdrawal of certification.
(b) Certification of Law School Graduates. A graduate of an American Bar Association-approved law school who has filed an application to The Florida Bar and received an initial clearance letter as to character and fitness from the Florida Board of Bar Examiners may appear for the maximum term of certification of 18 months from graduation for the same entities and under the same restrictions that apply to students in law school practice programs under this chapter if the supervising lawyer:
(1) files a certificate of the dean of the law school, or a person designated by the dean, that the applicant graduated from law school on the date stated in the certificate;
(2) files the Florida Board of Bar Examiner’s initial clearance letter of the applicant as to character and fitness; and
(3) further certifies that the lawyer assumes the duties and responsibilities of the supervising lawyer as provided by other provisions of this rule.
(c) Term of Certification. The maximum term of certification for graduates is 18 months from the date of graduation.
(d) Termination of Certification. Failure to take the next available Florida bar examination, failure of any portion of the Florida bar examination on the third administration if a third administration is required, or denial of admission to The Florida Bar terminates certification under this rule.
(e) Withdrawal of Certification. Certification may be withdrawn in the same manner as the law school dean’s withdrawal of certification.
Former Rule 11-1.8. Amended effective June 4, 1992, (602 So.2d 914); amended July 23, 1992, effective Jan. 1, 1993 (605 So.2d 252); renumbered and amended April 21, 1994 and July 7, 1994 (635 So.2d 968); amended July 5, 2007, effective August 1, 2007 (SC03-122), (964 So.2d 690); amended March 16, 2023, effective May 15, 2023 (SC22-1292); amended and effective February 15, 2024 (SC24-0053).