Petition to raise Bar fees for legal aid filed: Bar opposes the petition and sees providing services as an issue society needs to address.

More than 500 Florida lawyers filed a petition with the Supreme Court to amend Bar rules, which could lead to an annual membership fee increase of up to $100 to fund legal aid programs.

The petition, opposed by The Florida Bar Board of Governors, was filed with the court June 16. It seeks to amend Bar Rule 1-7.3(a) to allow the Board of Governors to raise the Bar's annual membership fees--now at $265--up to $100 with the added funds going to The Florida Bar Foundation for distribution to legal aid agencies.

Bar President Eugene Pettis, however, said providing legal services to those who cannot afford them is a societal issue and there are better alternatives to the proposed fee hike.

"The issue of how we're going to deliver legal aid and access to justice is larger than the legal profession can solve on its own," said Pettis, adding the board is committed to finding solutions, not just for today, but for the long run.

Pettis emphasized that the Bar and the petitioners have the same goals, but differ on how to achieve them.

He said lawyers are already providing extensive services, and it's time to look at broadening the base of support and looking at new ways of delivering legal services. To that end, Pettis said a summit is being planned for late summer, to be chaired by incoming Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga, and will include the business community, legislators, and others.

"It's important that we bring to the table all the stakeholders to resolve this issue," Pettis said.

Backers of the petition, including former Supreme Court justices, Bar presidents, and Foundation presidents, are hoping for action from the court by late this year or early next year so any fee increase could be part of the Bar's 2015-16 budget.

As an alternative, the Bar and the Foundation are discussing a two-year, $6 million loan to help the Foundation as it runs out of reserves and to tide it over until interest rates rise and restore financing from the IOTA program.

Former Supreme Court Justice Raoul Cantero is representing the fee petitioners and referred to the Oath of Admission to The Florida Bar at a press conference announcing that the petition had been filed. The oath in part provides, "I will never reject, from any consideration personal to myself, the cause of the defenseless or oppressed."

"Now is the time to fulfill that promise," he said in a video statement. "By raising The Florida Bar dues by only $8.33 a month, the cost of a lunch, we can...