GENERALLY

(a) Authorization and Application. Except as limited in this rule, persons or entities providing legal services may employ certain lawyers or former lawyers to perform those services that may ethically be performed by nonlawyers employed by authorized business entities. For purposes of this rule:

(1) these lawyers and former lawyers are referred to as “individual(s) subject to this rule”;

(2) “individuals subject to this rule” includes lawyers who are on the inactive list due to incapacity or who are suspended or have been disbarred by a court or other authorized disciplinary agency of this or another jurisdiction;

(3) the term “disbarred” includes disciplinary resignation and revocation, permanent retirement in lieu of discipline, or their substantial equivalents; and

(4) An individual subject to this rule is considered employed by an entity providing legal services if the individual is a salaried or hourly employee, volunteer worker, or an independent contractor, or is engaged to provide services to the client arising from or related to the client’s legal representation at the recommendation of the entity or any of its members or employees.

(b) Employment by Former Subordinates Prohibited. An individual subject to this rule may not be employed or supervised by a lawyer whom the individual subject to this rule employed or supervised before the date of the suspension, disbarment, disciplinary resignation, or disciplinary revocation order.

(c) Notice of Employment Required. The lawyer or entity employing any individual who will be subject to this rule must provide The Florida Bar with a notice of employment and a detailed description of the intended services to be provided by the individual subject to this rule before employment starts.

(d) Prohibited Conduct.

(1) Client Contact. Individuals subject to this rule must not have contact (including engaging in communication in any manner) with any client.

(2) Trust Funds or Property. Individuals subject to this rule must not receive, disburse, or otherwise handle trust funds or property as defined in chapter 5 of these rules. Individuals subject to this rule must not act as fiduciaries for any funds or property of their clients or former clients, their employers’ clients or former clients, or the clients or former clients of any entity in which an employer is a beneficial owner.

(3) Practice of Law. Individuals subject to this rule must not engage in conduct that constitutes the practice of law and must not hold themselves out as being eligible to do so.

(e) Quarterly Reports by Individual and Employer Required. The individual subject to this rule and employer must submit sworn information reports to The Florida Bar. These reports must be filed quarterly, based on the calendar year, and include statements that no aspect of the work of the individual subject to this rule has involved the unlicensed practice of law, that the individual subject to this rule has had no client contact, that the individual subject to this rule did not receive, disburse, or otherwise handle trust funds or property, and that the individual subject to this rule is not being supervised by a lawyer whom the individual subject to this rule supervised before the date of the suspension, disbarment, disciplinary resignation, or disciplinary revocation order.

(f) Supervising Lawyer. An individual subject to this rule must be supervised by a member of The Florida Bar in good standing and eligible to practice law in Florida who is employed full-time by the entity that employs the individual subject to this rule and is actively engaged in the supervision of the individual subject to this rule in all aspects of the individual’s employment.