THERE'S ALWAYS A WAY AROUND THE RULES...

Remember the constitutional amendment that the majority of Floridians passed last year limiting contingency fees that attorneys could collect in medical malpractice cases? The one that the Florida Medical Association fought to keep off the ballot, and later to defeat? The Orlando Sentinel's Mike Thomas highlights in his most recent column that almost as soon as voters approved the measure, attorneys began asking prospective clients to sign waiver forms, in effect allowing them to charge what they had been all along.

One attorney notes that they just share with prospective clients that "we can't do business under the amendment restrictions." In short, you don't sign the waiver, look for another lawyer.

And, of course, the FMA is fighting back with a proposal to forbid clients to waive the constitutional right.