(a) In General. To practice in this court, an attorney must:
(1) be a member in good standing of the bar of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida; and
(2) be a registered user.
(b) Pro Hac Vice. An attorney who is not qualified to practice under (a) – but who is a member in good standing of the bar of any state or other United States District Court – may be admitted pro hac vice to practice in this court in a particular case or adversary proceeding. To be admitted pro hac vice, an attorney must:
(1) pay the fee required by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida;
(2) associate with local counsel who is qualified to practice under (a); and
(3) file local form Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice and submit a proposed local form Order Admitting Attorney Pro Hac Vice.
(c) Government Attorneys. Any attorney employed by the United States, an agency thereof, or a state, municipality, or agency or political subdivision thereof, may practice in this court on behalf of such entity in the attorney’s official capacity without being admitted pro hac vice. Any attorney appearing under this subdivision is subject to all the rules of this court.
(d) Exceptions. An attorney may do any of the following without being admitted under (a) or (b), or authorized under (c), to practice in this court:
(1) file a request for service of notices under Bankruptcy Rule 2002;
(2) attend on behalf of – but not represent in a contested matter – a creditor a hearing that under Bankruptcy Rule 2002 has been noticed to all creditors;
(3) attend and ask questions at the § 341 meeting of creditors;
(4) file a proof of claim;
(5) file a Bankruptcy Rule 3002.1 notice of payment change;
(6) file an application under 28 U.S.C. § 2042 for payment of unclaimed funds;
(7) file a ballot in a chapter 11 case; and
(8) file a notice of appearance under Bankruptcy Rule 9010(b).
(e) Attorney Discipline.
(1) Automatic Suspension. An attorney is automatically suspended from practice before this court if the attorney has been:
(A) disbarred or suspended from practice for:
(i) any reason by the Supreme Court of Florida or the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida; or
(ii) moral turpitude or ethical violations by the highest court of any state other than Florida or any federal court other than the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida; or
(B) convicted of a felony.
(2) Relief from Suspension. An attorney suspended under (e)(1)(A)(ii) or (e)(1)(B) may petition the court for relief from the automatic suspension.
(f) Change in Attorney of Record. An attorney who has appeared for a party in a case or proceeding may not withdraw as counsel for the party without leave of court, except in the following instances:
(1) No Pending Contested Matter or Adversary Proceeding. An attorney representing a creditor that is not a party to a pending contested matter or adversary proceeding may withdraw from representing that creditor by filing a notice of withdrawal of appearance in each case from which the attorney is withdrawing. The notice must provide a service address for the creditor.
(2) Joint Notice of Substitution. If a creditor, chapter 7 debtor, or chapter 13 debtor has retained a new attorney and consents to substitution of the new attorney for the current attorney of record, the new attorney may file a joint notice of substitution of counsel – signed by both attorneys – in each case or adversary proceeding in which the new attorney will be substituting for the current attorney of record.
(3) Substitution of Attorney in Same Firm. A partner, member, or regular associate in the firm of a current attorney of record may substitute as a new attorney of record by filing local form Notice of Substitution in each case or adversary proceeding in which the new attorney will be substituting for the current attorney of record.