How to Check a Personal Injury Lawyer's Florida Bar Record Before You Hire

Go to floridabar.org and use the Find a Lawyer search tool, no account required. Enter the attorney’s name or bar number and you will see their eligibility to practice, admission date, office address of record, and any public discipline history. No review site shows all of this, and none of it costs anything.

Why does a Florida Bar profile tell me more than a star rating?

Star ratings on review sites reflect what past clients chose to post. The Florida Bar profile shows what the state officially recorded. That difference matters because only the Bar profile tells you whether a lawyer is currently eligible to practice in Florida, how long they have been licensed, and whether they have ever been suspended or disbarred. Review sites cannot show any of those facts. The Florida Supreme Court, the Florida Bar, and its Division of Lawyer Regulation oversee attorney discipline statewide. Formal public discipline such as suspensions and disbarments appears on each attorney’s Bar profile, often with case documents linked. But dismissed complaints, some minor matters, and confidential malpractice settlements generally do not appear on the profile. So while the Bar profile is essential, it is not the whole picture.

How do I actually search the Florida Bar member directory?

Start at floridabar.org. On the homepage, look for the “Find a Lawyer” tool. Click into it. You will see fields for last name, bar number, and city or location. Enter the attorney’s last name first. If multiple names come up, add the city to narrow results. Note that many firms advertising as Hialeah lawyers list Miami or Miami Lakes addresses in online directories, so use only the attorney’s actual name or bar number to avoid confusion. You do not need an account or payment to run the search. After you enter the name, click the correct result to open the attorney’s full profile. The results page will show basic details like status, admission year, and address of record so you know you have the right person.

What information is actually on the Florida Bar profile?

When you open the profile, you will see several key fields. First is eligibility status: “eligible to practice” means the attorney can lawfully represent clients in Florida. “Inactive,” “delinquent,” “suspended,” or “disbarred” means they cannot. Second is admission date, which shows the year they joined the Florida Bar. Third is the bar number, a unique identifier. Fourth is the firm name and address of record, this is the official office address filed with the Bar, and it may differ from ads or websites. For Hialeah residents, note that some firms advertising locally use Miami or Miami Lakes addresses in directories, but the Bar profile shows what the attorney actually registered. Fifth is public discipline history: any reprimands, suspensions, disbarments, or disciplinary revocations will appear here, often with links to case documents. Sixth is board certification, if any, which will be listed clearly if the attorney holds it.

What is Florida Bar board certification in civil trial law, and why does it matter?

Board certification is a voluntary credential awarded by the Florida Bar in specific legal specialties, including Civil Trial Law. It is separate from basic licensure. To earn it, an attorney must show years of experience, handle a minimum number of trials or cases, pass a written exam, and receive positive peer reviews from other lawyers and judges. Only a small share of Florida attorneys hold board certification. It signals focused experience in courtroom litigation, which can be relevant in personal injury cases that go to trial. But it is not a promise of results. Many capable personal injury lawyers are not board certified, and certification alone should not be the only factor in your decision.

What red flags should I look for on the Florida Bar profile?

Watch for these five signs. First, any status other than “eligible to practice”, inactive, delinquent, suspended, or disbarred, means the attorney cannot legally take your case. Do not hire them. Second, recent public discipline, such as a suspension within the past few years, even if the attorney is now eligible, should prompt questions. Third, a disciplinary revocation is treated like disbarment under Florida rules. Fourth, an address mismatch: if the firm markets itself as Hialeah-based but the Bar profile shows a P.O. Box in another county or a Miami office with no local presence, ask who will actually work on your file. Fifth, a very recent admission date with no board certification or apparent trial experience may matter in complex injury cases. Remember, the profile does not show everything, dismissed complaints and private malpractice settlements stay off the record.

How do I look up Wolfson & Leon’s attorneys on the Florida Bar?

You can look up Jonah Wolfson and Alfie Leon yourself using the steps above. Search each name at floridabar.org. Their profiles will show their eligibility status, admission dates, and official address of record. Check that the address of record matches the firm’s office at 1840 W 49th St #734, Hialeah, FL. To learn more about their backgrounds, visit Jonah Wolfson and Alfie Leon on the firm’s website. The Florida Bar record is public, factual, and free to check, use it as part of your decision.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Florida Bar member search really free?
Yes. The search tool at floridabar.org costs nothing and requires no login or account.

What does ‘eligible to practice’ mean on a Florida Bar profile?
It means the attorney is currently licensed and authorized to represent clients in Florida courts.

Will the Florida Bar profile show if a lawyer settled a malpractice case against them?
No. Confidentially settled malpractice claims do not appear on the Bar profile. Only formal public discipline is listed.

A Hialeah law firm’s ad says they are local, but the address looks like Miami. Does that matter?
It can. The Bar profile shows the attorney’s official address of record. If it differs from the advertised location, ask who will handle your case and where.

Does hiring a board-certified civil trial lawyer guarantee a better outcome?
No. Board certification shows specialized experience but does not guarantee any result. Outcomes depend on the facts of each case.

Related reading: What happened to you? · Jerome Wolfson

Hurt in an accident in Hialeah? Call Wolfson & Leon at 305-965-3766 for a free consultation. We speak Spanish, and there is no fee unless we win.