Controlling attorney fees a good first step in legal reform

Florida’s legal climate is one of the worst in the nation, and its effects are far-reaching. From small and large businesses to each Florida family, everyone pays the price, except for the attorneys who make millions through frivolous lawsuits and abuse of the system.

We have all seen the countless trial attorney billboards that riddle Florida’s roadways. The legal system is a game to them, and time is running out for our elected officials to implement meaningful reforms that reduce widespread lawsuit abuse, ensure consumers are protected and help to lower costs for all Floridians.

Florida’s legal climate costs the average family $4,442 a year in lawsuit abuse “taxes,” according to the Florida Chamber of Commerce, and a new study released by the National Federation of Independent Business in Florida estimates that excessive tort costs to the Florida economy result in $10 billion in annual direct costs. Florida families and our elected officials cannot afford to turn a blind eye to such staggering numbers.

The Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce serves more than 604,000 Hispanic-owned businesses across the state. Our membership includes business owners and job creators, and we understand the legal system in Florida leads to economic disadvantages, which is why legal reform is one of our top legislative priorities.

There is a lot of work to be done to create a more fair and balanced judicial system, and lawmakers should not head home until they pass common-sense legal reform efforts. House Bill 7071, which addresses the use of contingency fee multipliers, is a great place to start.

Contingency fee multipliers, which were recently referred to as the “slot machines for the legal profession” by Sen. Jeff Brandes, enable attorneys to collect legal fees that are up to triple the amount of their normal hourly rate. In every other state but Florida, contingency fee multipliers are granted only in rare and exceptional circumstances.

House Bill 7071 sets guidelines for reasonable attorney fees and brings Florida’s standard for the application of fee multipliers in line with the rest of the country. House Bill 7071 recently passed the Florida House and I urge lawmakers to support this legislation as it continues to work its way through the process. By cutting back on excessive attorney fees, lawmakers can help to limit the number of frivolous lawsuits that are increasing costs for Florida families.

There are other viable legal reform efforts still moving in the Florida Legislature, including bills that address motor vehicle dealer liability and create a transparent process for filing asbestos trust claims, that would go a long way in improving Florida’s abysmal legal climate.

With just a few days left in the 2020 legislative session, our elected officials need to pass meaningful tort reform this session to address the rampant lawsuit abuse that is driving up costs for Florida businesses and consumers. Supporting contingency fee multipliers legislation and other commonsense legal reform measures is a muchneeded step in the right direction.