Hello everyone and welcome to this Ethics Alert which will discuss the recent media reports that the Florida Bar’s Board of Governors has voted to request that the Florida Supreme Court determine whether TIKD’s app and activities constitute the unlicensed practice of law (UPL). As I previously blogged, TIKD filed a federal lawsuit against The Florida Bar and The Ticket Clinic in November 2017 alleging, inter alia, a conspiracy to force it to cease its business activities and that The Florida Bar’s procedures violate the antitrust laws under the U.S. Supreme Court opinion in North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners v. Federal Trade Commission.
The federal case is TIKD Services LLC, v. The Florida Bar, et al., Case No. 1:17-cv-24103-MGC (U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida-Miami Division) and I blogged about the TIKD federal lawsuit here: https://jcorsmeier.wordpress.com/2017/12/07/startup-app-tikd-sues-florida-bar-for-alleged-antitrust-violations-florida-bar-moves-to-disqualify-former-president-from-case/, and here: https://jcorsmeier.wordpress.com/2017/12/21/florida-bars-former-president-responds-and-opposes-bars-motion-to-disqualify-him-from-tikd-v-florida-bar-ticket-clinic-antitrust-suit/
According to media reports, at its December 2017 meeting, the Florida Bar’s Board of Governors accepted a recommendation from a Bar committee which concluded that TIKD is violating Florida law by practicing law without a license or providing false or misleading information to its customer to send the matter to the Florida Supreme Court for review and a potential injunction.
The BOG decision appears to have resulted, at least in part, from the federal lawsuit which was filed in November 2017 by TIKD, an entity with an internet application that assists individuals who receive traffic tickets by retaining a lawyer and promises its users that they will not get any points on their traffic record. The company’s lawsuit against The Florida Bar and The Ticket Clinic alleges that The Ticket Clinic and The Florida Bar are conspiring to reduce competition, that The Ticket Clinic has made threats to TIKD lawyers, that the Bar’s procedures violate antitrust laws, and that TIKD has been deprived of revenue as a result of the conduct.
According to the federal lawsuit and media reports, The Ticket Clinic, a law firm that provides legal services and defends clients in traffic ticket matters, filed complaints with The Florida Bar claiming that TIKD is engaging in UPL, and also filed complaints against lawyers who have represented TIKD customers and has threatened to have them disbarred.
Bottom line: As I previously blogged, the TIKD federal lawsuit is one of the first filed in Florida which directly alleges that The Florida Bar’s UPL procedures violate the Sherman Antitrust Act based upon the U.S. Supreme Court opinion in North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners and, as added drama, the Bar filed a motion to disqualify its recent former president from representing TIKD in the lawsuit. Now, The Florida Bar will ask the Florida Supreme Court to weigh in and provide a determination as to whether the TIKD app runs afoul of UPL and other Bar rules.
Again, stay tuned…and be careful out there!
As always, if you have any questions about this Ethics Alert or need assistance, analysis, and guidance regarding ethics, risk management, or other issues, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Disclaimer: this e-mail is not an advertisement, does not contain any legal advice, and does not create an attorney/client relationship and the comments herein should not be relied upon by anyone who reads it.
Joseph A. Corsmeier, Esquire
Law Office of Joseph A. Corsmeier, P.A.
29605 U.S. Highway 19 N. Suite 150
Clearwater, Florida 33761
Office (727) 799-1688
Fax (727) 799-1670
| Joseph Corsmeier |
Lawyer Ethics Alert Blogs 