Remote practice from home in Florida isn't unauthorized practice, advisory opinion says
Image from Shutterstock. A New Jersey lawyer’s remote practice from his home in Florida does not constitute the unlicensed practice of law in Florida, according to an advisory ethics opinion approved May 20 by the Florida Supreme Court. Lawyer Thomas Restaino had sought the advisory opinion, report Law360 and the Legal Profession Blog. Restaino wanted to know whether he could work on federal intellectual property matters for a New Jersey-based law firm, Tong Rea Bentley & Kim. The New Jersey law firm did not have a place of business or office in Florida, and Restaino did not have a public presence or profile as a Florida lawyer, according to the ethics opinion. He does not have a law license in Florida and would not represent or solicit any Florida clients. He would not advise on Florida law.