George Mencio, Jr.

The Florida Bar is the integrated bar association for the state of Florida. It is the third largest such bar association in the United States. Its duties include the regulation and discipline of attorneys. As elsewhere in the United States, persons seeking admission to the bar must pass a moral character screening, in this case administered by the Florida Board of Bar Examiners. Admission to the bar includes passing a background investigation, the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, and the bar exam, which tests both the common law through the Multistate Bar Examination and Florida law through written state essays and state-specific multiple-choice questions. The Florida Bar is home of one of the nation's premier board certification programs. Over 5,000 members of the bar are certified in one or more of 24 legal specialty areas including civil trial, business litigation, labor and employment, and marital and family law. Board certified attorneys must submit to a rigorous peer review process, prove substantial involvement and education in the specialty field, and pass a written examination. The Florida Bar's headquarters building and annex are located in Tallahassee, three blocks from the Florida State Capitol.

The International Bar Association (IBA), established in 1947, is the world's leading organization of international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. The IBA influences the development of international law reform and shapes the future of the legal profession throughout the world. It has a membership of more than 50,000 individual lawyers and over 200 bar associations and law societies spanning all continents. it has a considerable expertise in providing assistance to the global legal community.

The Dade County Bar Association (DCBA) is a local voluntary bar association with approximately 4,500 members. The association was founded in the early 1900's and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1920.