NOTICE REGARDING FLA PARTICIPATION AND REHABILITATION CONTRACTS
Dear FLA Participant:
Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc. (“FLA”) has historically received funding from The Florida Bar pursuant to Bylaw 2-9.11, Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, under which The Florida Bar is obligated to “create or fund a program for the identification of its members who suffer from impairment related to chemical dependency or psychological problems that affect their professional performance or practice of law, and the assistance of those members in overcoming such dependency or problems.”
FLA's most recent contract with The Florida Bar provided funding to FLA to perform those services through June 30, 2026. That contract has ended, and FLA is no longer receiving funding from The Florida Bar under Bylaw 2-9.11 to provide those services.
Accordingly, FLA is providing this written notice concerning your participation with FLA and any Rehabilitation Contract you have entered into with FLA.
I. VOLUNTARY PARTICIPANTS
If your participation with FLA is voluntary and is not required by an order of The Supreme Court of Florida, conditional admission, disciplinary probation, diversion, an agreement with The Florida Bar, or another regulatory requirement, FLA hereby provides written notice to you that your participation and Rehabilitation Contract with FLA is cancelled effective immediately.
Effective immediately, FLA will no longer provide any services to you pursuant to your Rehabilitation Contract.
Attached you will find a “Self-Help Guide” that identifies potential resources for you to consider in continuing your effort to rehabilitate and to document that rehabilitation.
II. NON-VOLUNTARY PARTICIPANTS AND FLORIDA BAR REFERRALS
If your participation with FLA arises from or relates to an order of The Supreme Court of Florida, conditional admission, disciplinary probation, diversion, an agreement or referral involving The Florida Bar, or another regulatory requirement, FLA hereby provides written notice that, effective immediately, FLA will no longer provide any of the services previously funded by The Florida Bar pursuant to Bylaw 2-9.11, including evaluation, check-in, monitoring, drug testing, and reporting, and that your participation and contract with FLA is cancelled effective immediately.
Your Rehabilitation Contract recognizes that certain obligations may arise independent of your contractual relationship with FLA. It provides that, if incorporated into an order of conditional admission, disciplinary probation, or diversion, certain requirements may remain in effect until successful completion of the applicable term.
By this notice, FLA does not determine whether your Rehabilitation Contract has been incorporated into any order, probation, diversion, agreement, or other requirement, or whether you have any continuing obligation imposed by The Supreme Court of Florida, The Florida Bar, the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, or any other entity.
Nothing in this notice terminates, modifies, satisfies, releases, or otherwise affects any obligation imposed upon you by an order of The Supreme Court of Florida, conditional admission, disciplinary probation, diversion, an agreement with The Florida Bar, or any other requirement independent of your contractual relationship with FLA.
If your participation with FLA is required by any such order, agreement, probation, diversion, or other requirement, you should contact The Florida Bar concerning any continuing obligations.
III. PARTICIPANT RECORDS (VOLUNTARY AND NONVOLUNTARY)
FLA records concerning your participation are maintained in the Affinity/Spectrum system and are confidential. Before FLA's access to those records ends, you may authorize FLA through Affinity/Spectrum to release a copy of your participant records to you.
If you wish to receive a copy of your records, you must complete and return the attached Authorization for Release of Information to Participant (ROI) no later than August 28, 2026, per the instructions in the ROI. Records pursuant to the ROI will be provided directly to you, and only you, by Affinity/Spectrum.
Per the instructions in the ROI, if FLA and Affinity/Spectrum does not receive a completed and signed authorization by August 28, 2026, FLA will not release your records to you. If you wish to receive your records after that date, please be advised that FLA will soon lose access to your records and that you may have to subpoena the documents from Affinity/Spectrum.
Sincerely,
Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc.
August 14, 2026
32%
of lawyers under the age
of 30 have a problem with
ALCOHOL & SUBSTANCE USE
28%
of lawyers struggle
with some level of
DEPRESSION
19%
of lawyers demonstrate
symptoms of
STRESS & ANXIETY
11%
of lawyers have had
SUICIDAL THOUGHTS at
some point in their career
CONFIDENTIAL
100%
WHO WE ARE
In an effort to achieve it’s mission, FLA, through its over 300 volunteer legal professionals, has promoted the formation of over 30 weekly support groups throughout Florida for lawyers, judges, and law students. Some of these groups focus on substance abuse issues and are attended by legal professionals in recovery or who wish to learn more about the recovery process. Other groups assist legal professionals dealing with mental health issues or dual disorders. The groups meet at a designated location each week for approximately one hour.
Attorneys, judges, and law students recovering from substance abuse, or those who are interested in entering the recovery process, are invited to attend an FLA lawyer/law student support meeting whether or not they have disciplinary or bar admission problems. Particular issues affecting the recovering lawyer and the maintenance of their recovery while contending with the pressures and ethical questions inherent in the practice of law or the bar admission process are regularly discussed. The groups are completely confidential, and no record of attendance or issues raised is reported to FLA or to the Bar (unless required by terms of probation or conditional admission).
For those legal professionals dealing with mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, bi-polar disorder, dual diagnoses, or other compulsive disorders, FLA also sponsors facilitated support meetings. These meetings are run by licensed mental health professionals to whom a nominal fee is paid by the participants. As with the chemical dependency support meetings, the groups are confidential unless reporting is a requirement of probation or conditional admission.
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