QUALIFICATIONS, CODE OF ETHICS, & RESPONSIBILITIES
National Association for Foreign Attorneys |
Miami Adress:
NAFA Association & UNPAM Universidad
AmeriMail Center
10008 West Flagler Street
Suite B-126
Miami, Florida 33174
Phones:
863-314-9300
786-374-9142
863-314-0048 FAX
NACIONAL LINEA LIBRE:
1-888-629-NAFA
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Sebring FL adress:
NAFA Association & UNPAM Universidad
Hader Hall Country Club II
4059 SANTA BARBARA DRIVE
SEBRING, FLORIDA 33875
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ACTIVE MEMBERS :
ACTIVE MEMBERS IS OPEN TO ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO MEETS AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS. THIS IS ONE MEMBERSHIP CLASSIFICATION WHICH CARRIES FULL VOTING PRIVILEGES. ACTIVES MEMBERS ARE ALSO THE ONLY NAFA MEMBERS WHO MAY SERVE AS ASSOCIATION OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
1. Any individual who has graduated from an ABA approved law school.
2. Any individual who has graduated from a foreign law school accredited by and ABA approved.
3. Any individual who has graduated from a law school which is institutionally accredited but not ABA approved.
4. Any individual who has graduated from a law school other than those set forth in 3 above, plus not less than one year as an
intern, whose Sr attorney-employer attests that such person is qualified as an attorney.
5. Any individual who has received a baccalaureate degree in law, plus not less than one year in house training as an attorney's assistant whose Sr attorney employer attests that such person is qualified as an attorney.
6. Any individual who has graduated from a foreign law school or an U.S. law school not approved by the ABA.
7. Any individual who agrees to abide by the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility adopted by the National Association for Foreign Attorneys.
8. Any individual who has not been disciplined for professional misconduct by the bar or court of any jurisdiction within the past five years.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS :
1. Those individuals who qualify under the provision set forth in 4 through 7 above.
2. Those individuals who are admitted to practice in a foreign country as an attorney, counselor at law, or the equivalent,
3. Those members of the educational field endorsing the foreign legal consultant concept or involved in the promotion of the
foreign legal consultancy,
4. Those individuals directly involved in the supervision of foreign attorneys.
AFFILIATE MEMBERS :
Affiliate Membership is open to any individual who is a full time student in good standing in any university or law school, pursuing a course of study as a legal professional.
Those individuals, law firms, corporations, schools, and legal professionals who endorse the legal profession or are actively involved.
MEMBERSHIP DUES :
FIRST YEAR'S DUES AND INITIATION FEE MUST ACCOMPANY THIS APPLICATION FORM. THEREAFTER, DUES ARE BILLED ANNUALLY AND YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR FIRST BILL ONE YEAR AFTER BEING ADMITTED TO MEMBERSHIP. DUES FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR ARE:
ACTIVE MEMBERS $95.00 annually; $100 initiation fee (note: the initiation fee is non-refundable and is waived for members of NAFA affiliate associations.)
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS $95.00 annually; $100.00 initiation fee
AFFILIATE MEMBERS $50.00 annually; $100.00 initiation fee
Contributions or gifts to the National Association for Foreign Attorneys, are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. However, payments may qualify as ordinary and necessary business expense.
"CHAPTER 16" :
N.A.F.A. endorse the foreign legal consultancy concept and is actively involved in the promotion of improvement of this chapter which purpose is to permit a person who is admitted to practice in a foreign country as an attorney, counselor at law, or the equivalent to act as a foreign legal consultant in the state of Florida. This chapter authorizes an attorney licensed to practice law in one (1) or more foreign countries to be certified by the Supreme Court of Florida, without examination, to render services in this state as a legal consultant regarding the laws of the country in which the attorney is admitted to practice.
CODE OF ETHICS AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY :
It is the responsibility of every foreign legal professional to adhere strictly to the accepted standards of legal ethics and to live by general principles of proper conduct in this country. The performance of the duties of the legal professional shall be governed by specific canons as defined herein in order that justice will be served and the goals of the profession attained.
The canons of ethics set forth hereafter are adopted by the National Association for Foreign Attorneys, as a general guide and the enumeration of these rules does not mean there are not others of equal importance although not specifically mentioned.
1. CANON 1: A foreign attorney[1] shall not perform any of the duties that licensed lawyers only may perform nor do things that licensed lawyers themselves may not do.
2. CANON 2: A foreign attorney may perform any task delegated and supervised by a licensed lawyer so long as the lawyer is responsible to the client, maintains a direct relationship with the client, and assumes full professional responsibility for the work product.
3. CANON 3: A foreign attorney shall not engage in the unauthorized practice of law by accepting cases, setting fees, giving legal advice or appearing in court (unless in pro se or otherwise authorized by court or agency rules).
4. CANON 4: Once working, a foreign attorney shall not act in matters involving professional legal judgment as the services of a licensed lawyer are essential in the public interest whenever the exercise of such judgment is required.
5. CANON 5: A foreign attorney must act prudently in determining the extent to which a client may be assisted without the presence of a licensed lawyer.
6. CANON 6: A foreign attorney shall not engage in the unauthorized practice of law.
7. CANON 7: A foreign attorney must protect the confidences of a client, and it shall be unethical for a foreign professional to violate any statute now in effect or thereafter to be enacted controlling privileged communications.
8. CANON 8: It is the obligation of the foreign attorney to avoid conduct which would cause the licensed lawyer to be unethical or ever appear to be unethical and loyalty to the employer is incumbent upon the foreign attorney.
9. CANON 9: A foreign attorney shall work continually to maintain integrity and a high degree of competency throughout the legal profession.
10. CANON 10: A foreign attorney shall strive for perfection through continuance education in order to better adding the legal profession in fulfilling its duty of making legal services available to clients and the public.
11. CANON 11: A foreign attorney shall do all things incidental, necessary or expedient for the attainment of the ethics and responsibilities imposed by statute or rule of court.
12. CANON 12: A foreign attorney while in this country is governed by the American Bar Association Model Code of Professional Responsibility and the American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
NAFA's BLUEBOOK AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
A MUST FOR ALL LEGAL PROFESSIONALS :
THE NAFA'S BLUEBOOK, reference guide and legal terminology book will by published annually by the Professional Development Committee. Copies will be available soon at special cost and there will be discount for NAFA members.
THE NAFA'S BLUEBOOK will serves as an annual foreign attorneys' directory, customer guide, and legal terminology book. The legal terminology will furnishes the basis for the study of more than 2,000 legal terms that are used in common law in the areas of: Business organization, negotiable instruments, family law, real property, trusts, estates, wills, litigation, agency, personal property, bailment, contracts, torts, and criminal law.
In addition, THE NAFA'S BLUEBOOK will serve as an annual report of the foreign legal profession, its growth and development during the precedent years and a review of the major issues and challenges of that year. The focus of our first issue will be the licensure and certification myths and facts.
NAFA PC LINK :
NAFA WILL BE OFFERING AN ON-LINE INFORMATION SERVICE AVAILABLE TO NAFA MEMBERS. NAFA WILL OFFERS YOU SEVERAL SEARCH METHODS. THE METHOD YOU CHOOSE WILL DEPEND ON THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE AND THE INFORMATION YOU ARE LOOKING FOR. PROMOTIONAL LITERATURE AND INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE.
FOR NAFA MEMBERS ONLY :
FREE APPLICATIONS AND AFFIDAVIT OF CHARACTER FOR APPOINTMENT AS A STATE OF FLORIDA NOTARY PUBLIC. The duties of notaries vary in function and importance in civil law countries, where the notary is often more important than or as important as an attorney or magistrate. The office is more limited in English common law countries. A notary public it has been defined as an officer whose duty is to attest the genuineness of any deeds or writings in order to render them available as evidence of the facts therein contained.[2] Also, NAFA members may subscribe to S.T.I., Software Technology Inc., which offers a complete family of software products for lawyers and the first approved by the ABA.
ALL-YEAR MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS :
The NAFA all-year meetings, provides in depth, advanced study seminars and workshops for NAFA members and interested legal professionals. The seven days per month program also features the NAFA membership forum, an opportunity for NAFA members to meet informally to discuss issues, problems and concerns.
N.A.F.A. Annual Meeting :
Conducted in December of each year, the NAFA annual membership meeting and workshop is offered as an annual business session for the NAFA membership including the consideration of resolutions, elections of officers and presentation of annual reports.
[1] Any individual who in not an authorized legal aid practitioner and who can not be engaged in the active practice of law in the state of Florida but who is a member in good standing of an entity governing the practice of law of any other country.
[2] 58 Am Jur 2d Notaries Public, ' 1.
