1.
Florida Bar Application Seminar

2.
Agenda
•Completing your Application
•Researching your Background (Davis)
•Addressing the Tough Issues (Fingerhut)
•What Happens After You Submit Your Application?
•Questions

3.
Completing
Your
Application
•All 1Ls must complete their Student
Registrations by
January 15, 2023.
•If you are unable to comply with this
deadline, you must inform Assoc.
Dean Angie Ortega in
writing (afridman@fiu.edu).

4.
What do you mean by “Bar
Application”?
Student Registrant Bar Application
•Your application to the Florida Board of Bar Examiners to
become a member of the Florida Bar upon graduation.
•In the fall of your third year (or the semester before your last
semester), you will convert your Student Registrant
application to a full Florida Bar Application (and set your bar
exam date).

5.
Completing Your Student Registrant Application
• Financial Benefits
• $100 if filed by Jan. 15
• $350 if filed by March 15
• $400 if filed after March 15.
• When you convert in the fall of your third year,
you will all pay an additional $600 (plus the
laptop fee, if applicable).
• Avoid delay in admissions
• Job search
• Certified Legal Intern
• Clinic/Externships
• State Attorney’s Office/Office of Public
Defender

6.
FIU Law Library

7.
Don’t Be Afraid: Completing Your Bar
Application
Complete the
Application
ONLINE
Create an account
and look at the application!!!!!!
Once you begin answering questions on your bar
application, you will have six months to complete it (the
program will save your answers).

8.
Completing Your Bar
Application:
Getting Started
www.floridabarexam.org

9.
Getting Started: Look at the Questions!
www.floridabarexam.org
> FAQ
Scroll down to "Bar Application"
>What are the questions on the bar
application?
>Florida Bar Application

10.
1. This is the screen you will see
when you finalize all
questions.
2. Click “Review Draft Bar
Application” to review your
answers before finalizing the
document. After you are
finished reviewing your
application, click the browser
“back” button to return to
this page. If you have any
changes, click the
appropriate section in the
green list.
3. When you have no more
changes, click “Final Version”
Step 1. Review and then come back to this screen.
Step
2
Make any changes to your
answers by clicking the
appropriate section in the
green list.
Step 3. Click here when you have no more changes.

11.
1. This is the screen
you will see after
you click “Final
Version” on the
previous screen.
2. Read it carefully.
3. Enter the password
you created for
your Florida Board
of Bar Examiners
account (do not
type your name or
Authy key).
4. Click “Finalize your
Bar Application.”
Step 1. Enter your FBBE PASSWORD.
Step 2. FINALIZE YOUR BAR APPLICATION.

12.
1. This is the screen you
will see after you
click “Finalize your
Bar Application” on
the previous screen.
2. Click “Display Cover
Sheet for Bar
Application
Submission.”
3. After you have
generated and
printed your cover
sheet (instructions
on the next page),
return to this page to
display and print
your finalized bar
application, which
you should keep for
your files.
Click here to generate your COVER SHEET.

13.
You will need to include these documents only if
the application program directed to complete
them (as a result of your answer to a question).
YOUR NAME
1. This is the sheet that the
program will generate after you
select “Display Cover Sheet for
Bar Application Submission.”
2. PRINT IT. This sheet must be
the cover page of the packet
that you mail to the Board of
Bar Examiners.
3. Your packet must include all
of the “Required Items.” You
should include all of the
“Supplemental Items” that you
have ready at the time you mail
your packet.
4. Make sure you check off
each item that you include in
your packet.
5. Make sure you notarize all
documents that have notary
blocks.
x
x
x
all notarized
Paper Receipt
Automatically generated
Not needed in Student
Registrant Application
Include in your Student Registrant
Application if you have it now.
Required Items

14.
Once you complete and submit
your application online, you will
MAIL (yes, in an envelope with
postage) the following
documents to the Florida Board
of Bar Examiners:

15.
Jose Maria Smith
1234 S.W. 10 Street
Miami, FL 33199
Florida Board of Bar
Examiners
1891 Eider Court
Tallahassee, FL 32399-
1750
Your return address
Postmarked by January 15, 2023
Postage
Board of Bar
Examiners'
Address

16.
Required Documents:
What must be in your packet
Cover Sheet
Authorization
& Release
Form
Application
Fee
Worksheet
Three (3)
Copies !!!
NOTARIZED

17.
Required Supplemental Items
Also include (if you have it at time of application)
Proof of
Citizenship:
Certified Copy of
Birth Certificate or
Copy of
Immigration
Documents
Paper Copy of
Transcript Request
(can be a
screenshot).
Your prior schools
must mail the
actual transcripts
directly to the FBBE.
Any other
Supplemental
Items that you
are required to
submit based
on answers to
questions (ex:
Financial
Affidavit) can
be uploaded
directly into the
application.
Mail them only if you are
unable to upload them with the
appropriate question when you
complete your application.

18.
• If you do not have a certified copy of your birth certificate (or the copies of your immigration
• documents) by January 15, 2023,
YOU.
CAN.
STILL.
FILE.
YOUR .
APPLICATION.

19.
Fingerprints
• You must have fingerprints taken by the FBBE
vendor MORPHOTRUST. Make an appointment
and visit one of dozens of locations throughout
Florida.
• Keep your receipt. You must mail it to FBBE.
• If you lose your receipt, you must call Morpho
Trust at 800-528-1358; they will email you a
copy.
• There is a Morpho Trust location at the UPS
store across from FIU (in the Publix Mall): 1421
SW 107 Avenue.
• There is a fee.
What if I am a police officer?
What if I have top-secret
security clearance?
What if I am a police officer?
What if I just had my fingerprints taken?
What if I a member of
The military?
EVERYONE!!!!

20.
Tough Topics
•Arrests
•Financial Issues
•Mental Health
•Substance Abuse

21.
WHAT DO I HAVE TO REPORT?
What to disclose:
• Substance Use Disorders
• Dependency and Abuse
• Severe Thought Disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Psychotic Disorder
• Severe Mood Disorders
• Bipolar Disorder
• Major Depressive Mood Disorder
What NOT to disclose (WILL NOT BE
INVESTIGATED):
• Adjustment disorders
• Attention Deficit Disorder
• General Anxiety and General Depression
• Grief or marital counseling
• Stress management or counseling
UNTREATED Substance Use Disorders
and
UNTREATED Severe Mental Health Disorders

22.
From the Florida Board of Bar Examiners:
It is important to emphasize that the board encourages applicants
experiencing difficulty of coping with the stress of law school and daily life
to seek counseling through Florida Lawyer’s Assistance,
your school’s counseling center or a private treatment provider.
No matter what else you may hear, you will not be penalized for seeking
counseling.
Be assured that you are not required to report such counseling and, if you
do, the board will not investigate it. (emphasis added)

23.
What Happens After You Submit Your
Application?
• The Board staff investigates you to determine the character and
fitness of each applicant or registrant.
• Amendments/Requests for Information
• You are responsible for amending your Bar application.
• Your application is a continuing application (until the day you
take the oath of attorney).
• You must amend within 30 days of the occurrence that would
change or render incomplete any question on the application.

24.
What Happens After You submit Your Application?
• The Board does not request information from you and you are
cleared!
• The Board requests information/amendments from you (applicant
portal)
You
respond.
You are cleared! You are set for an investigative hearing.
You are cleared!
Formal Hearing

25.
If the Board asks for information (or have to
file an amendment)
• Provide the information in writing through applicant portal,
on an amendment form, or directly on the application,
depending on the instruction.
• Include a copy of the request letter.
• Make and keep a copy of the entire packet
• Mail or upload, depending on the request.

26.
When and how do you amend your Bar
Application?
•When do you amend your application?
•Whenever you have an event that, if it had occurred
before you filed your application, you would have
had to disclose it.
•Ex: new address; arrest; new job
•How do you amend your application?
•https://www.floridabarexam.org

27.
Click here to amend bar application.
Name
Contact Information
How to Amend an Application that was
Filed Electronically
1. Log in to the Florida Board of Bar
Examiners website with the username
and password that you chose when you
created your account. You will also need
to use the two-factor authentication
system to log in.
2. You will see the home screen on the
right.
3. Click ”Review Finalized Bar
Application” and select the question that
you would like to amend.
4. Make the necessary amendment and
follow the directions on the screen to
submit.

28.
Recap
• You must file your file a Student
Registration with the Florida Board of Bar
Examiners by January 15, 2023. If you are
unable to comply with this deadline, you
must inform Dean Ortega Fridman.
• Submit your FIU Law Declaration of
Disclosure and your certification that you
have read and understand the bar
application requirements.

29.
Recap
•Visit www.floridabarexam.org to get started on your
Student Registration.
•Visit
http://libguides.law.fiu.edu/FloridaBarApplication
for extremely helpful research resources, Florida Bar
resources, and a copy of this presentation, including
this presentation.