M.D. Fla. · Pro hac vice · Updated August 2026
The Middle District of Florida does not require local counsel.
Special admission under Local Rule 2.01(c) is yours to obtain and yours to file under. There is no association requirement, no numeric appearance cap, and you keep your own CM/ECF credentials.
Do I need local counsel in the Middle District of Florida?
No. Nothing in M.D. Fla. Local Rule 2.01 requires an out-of-state attorney to associate local counsel. A lawyer may move for special admission if the lawyer is not an active Florida Bar member, is a member in good standing of the bar of a United States district court, has not abused the privilege by maintaining a regular practice of law in Florida, lists each Florida state or federal case in which the lawyer initially appeared in the last 36 months, and meets the District’s membership requirements other than Florida Bar membership. The fee is $150.
“… (2) is a member in good standing of the bar of a United States district court, (3) has not abused the privilege of special admission by maintaining a regular practice of law in Florida, (4) lists each case in state or federal court in Florida in which the lawyer has initially appeared in the last thirty-six months …”M.D. Fla. Local Rule 2.01(c)
The details
Divisions
Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Ocala, Orlando and Tampa. As amended November 1, 2025, Hernando County moved from the Tampa Division to the Ocala Division.
The real guardrail
There is no three-per-365 cap here. The limit is the “regular practice of law in Florida” standard, tested against your 36-month disclosure.
Questions specific to this district
If local counsel is not required, why would I retain any?
Three ordinary reasons: hearing and deposition coverage that would otherwise mean a flight; a Florida-eyes read on filings before they go out; and the companion state-court action, where local counsel is mandatory. If none of those apply to your case, you do not need me here and I will say so.
Does the three-appearance limit apply in the Middle District?
No. The Comment to Rule Regulating The Florida Bar 1-3.10 states the state rule does not apply to appearances in federal courts sitting in Florida. The Middle District instead requires disclosure of every Florida appearance in the last 36 months and tests whether you have maintained a regular practice of law in Florida.
What is temporary admission?
Local Rule 2.01(d) allows a lawyer facing an extraordinary circumstance — an emergency hearing, for example — to move for temporary admission lasting no longer than thirty days, if the lawyer applies for membership or moves for special admission within seven days after moving for temporary admission.
Florida state court is different — local counsel is mandatory
If this matter has a companion state action, or it was removed and could be remanded, Rule 2.510 applies there in full: a Florida Bar member must be associated as attorney of record, the $250 Bar fee and $100 clerk fee apply, and you cannot e-file your own admission motion. Read the pro hac vice guide.
Counties in this district: Hillsborough County · Orange County · Duval County · Pinellas County · Lee County · all counties
A M.D. Fla. matter?
Send the case number and the next deadline. Conflicts run first, and if the answer is that you do not need local counsel here, that is the answer you get.
Retain local counsel — M.D. Fla.
Case number, parties, and the deadline driving it.