61B-45.004. Who May Appear; Criteria for Other Qualified Representatives; Standards of Conduct

(1) Any person who appears before any arbitrator has the right, at that person’s own expense, to be accompanied, represented and advised by a member of the Florida Bar or by a qualified representative who does not need to be an attorney, but who shall demonstrate his or her familiarity with and understanding of the arbitration rules of procedure, and with any relevant portions of Chapter 718 or 719, F.S., and the rules promulgated by the Division.

(2) If a person wishes to be represented by a qualified non-attorney representative, he or she shall file with the arbitrator a completed DBPR form ARB96-002, QUALIFIED REPRESENTATIVE APPLICATION, incorporated in subsection 61B-45.001(3), Florida Administration Code. Based on the information provided on the completed form, and based on the responses to any inquiries made by the arbitrator concerning the applicant’s familiarity and understanding of the statute and rules applicable to the proceeding, the arbitrator shall determine whether the prospective representative is authorized and qualified to appear in the arbitration proceedings and capable of representing the rights and interests of the person.

(3) Members of The Florida Bar and certified law students are bound by a broad code of ethics. For other qualified representatives, the following standards have been written. These standards of conduct are adopted as a mandatory guide for all representatives appearing in any arbitration proceeding, except counsel subject to the disciplinary procedures of The Florida Bar.

(4) Standards of Conduct.

(a) A representative shall exercise due diligence in the filing and argument of any motion or pleading to ensure that the motion or pleading is filed and argued in good faith.

(b) The signature of a representative upon any motion or pleading shall constitute a certificate that the representative has read the motion or pleading, that to the best of the representative’s knowledge it is supported by good grounds and that it has not been presented solely for delay.

(c) A representative shall advise the client to observe and to obey the law.

(d) A representative shall not:

1. Engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation; or engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of the arbitration process;

2. File a pleading, assert a position, conduct a defense, delay an arbitration proceeding or take other action on behalf of the client when such action would serve merely to harass or maliciously injure another;

3. Handle a legal or factual matter which the representative knows or should know that the representative is not competent to handle without associating an attorney or another qualified representative; or handle a legal or factual matter without adequate preparation;

4. State or imply that he or she is able to improperly influence the arbitrator or any agency or public official;

5. Communicate or cause another to communicate with an adverse party regarding matters at issue in the arbitration proceeding where the representative knows that the adverse party is represented by an attorney or other qualified representative;

6. Disregard or advise the client to disregard a rule or statute of an agency or a ruling of an arbitrator made in the course of an arbitration proceeding;

7. Conceal or knowingly fail to disclose that which one is bound to reveal by law;

8. Knowingly use perjured testimony or false evidence, or suppress any evidence that the representative or the client should produce;

9. Knowingly make a false statement of law or fact;

10. Advise or cause a person to secrete himself or leave the jurisdiction of any agency for the purpose of making the person unavailable as a witness therein; pay, offer to pay or acquiesce in the payment of compensation to a witness contingent upon the content of the witness’ testimony or the outcome of the case; counsel or advise a witness to provide other than honest testimony.

Specific Authority 718.1255, 719.1255 FS. Law Implemented 718.1255, 719.1255 FS. History–New 4-1-92, Amended 2-2-93, Formerly 7D-45.004, Amended 6-19-96.