Governor signs undocumented attorney bill.

An amendment to an amendment piggybacked on an innocuous family law bill at session's end. That's what it took to give Jose Manuel Godinez-Samperio a giant step forward to finally become a Florida lawyer.

The amendment was crafted specifically to help this one 27-year-old man who came to the United States from Mexico with his parents at age 9 on a tourist visa, stayed with his parents when the visa expired, rose to the top of his high school class, graduated from Florida State University College of Law with honors, passed the bar exam in 2011, and has been entangled in a legal immigration quagmire ever since.

House Speaker Will Weatherford looked up at the gallery of spectators and said: "I would like to say to Jose, who has been given an opportunity by this Legislature--maybe an act of justice by this Legislature --to take that act of justice and return that act of justice to many others as a lawyer in the good state of Florida. Congratulations, to you, sir."

Moments earlier, CS/CS HB 755 had passed 79-37 on May 1.

Even legislators voting against the bill jumped to their feet on the House floor and gave a standing ovation.

A jubilant Godinez-Samperio waved from the gallery, standing next to his pro bono lawyer, Patsy Palmer, who grinned from ear to ear.

"I felt incredible," said Godinez-Samperio, who works as a paralegal at Gulf Coast Legal Services, and hopes to continue working on immigration and housing issues there, once he is officially a member of The Florida Bar.

"Words cannot express how happy I feel."

The following day, May 2, the Senate passed the House version by a 26-7 vote. Gov. Rick Scott signed the bill into law on May 12. Now pro bono attorney Sandy D'Alemberte said he will obtain the official stamp of approval on this unique situation from the Florida Board of Bar Examiners. D'Alemberte said he knows of only one other person facing the same obstacles as Godinez-Samperio to become a Florida lawyer.

"It has been a long journey," said D'Alemberte, who taught Godinez-Samperio at FSU and argued his case of first impression before the Florida Supreme Court on October 2, 2012.

"He has been waiting since 2011," D'Alemberte said. "At some point, he needs to get on with his life."

His life so far as been exemplary. He became an Eagle Scout, and earned the distinction of valedictorian of Armwood High School in Seffner, east of Tampa. The National Honor Society scholar won scholarships to New College of Florida in Sarasota. Candid...