VIA First Class Mail

Email: jharkness@flabar.org

October 28, 2016

John F. Harkness, Jr., Executive Director

The Florida Bar, 651 East Jefferson Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2300
Dear Mr. Harkness:
RE: RFA # 17-4289 Re: Steven Eleazer Lake
Dear Mr. Harkness:
Enclosed is the most recent letter of Bar Counsel Heidi Brewer dated October 14, 2016 stating:
Your correspondence dated October 12, 2016, to Mr. Harkness has been referred to me.
Your correspondence is being treated as a requested review of the decision by Bar
Counsel to close your Request for Assistance. Review of closed RFA's are subject to the
provisions contained in a policy adopted by the board of governors. A copy of the policy
is attached. Pursuant to this policy the Director of the Bar's Attorney Consumer
Assistance Program (ACAP) will review this file and decide if closure was appropriate.
You will be notified of this decision in writing.
Each of these reviews may take as long as 60 days to complete. We thank you for your
understanding and patience.
I did not request a review of the closed RFA. I do not want a review of this particular closed
RFA. I request The Bar immediately stop or withdrawal the review of this particular RFA.
Shanell Schuyler, Director of the Bar's Attorney Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP), has a
conflict of interest reviewing any complaint where she was a supervising attorney. (Rule 4-5.1).
And as shown in prior complaints, a review by Shanell Schuyler is a waste of time and effort.
Brewer wrote on October 6, 2016, (not on October 21, 2016 as referenced in my last letter)
Additional information is necessary concerning your allegation that Mr. Lake engaged
in "white supremacy racial discrimination and obstruction of justice against an AfricanAmerican female student ...." Please provide a description of the specific conduct you
assert Mr. Lake engaged in which forms the basis of your allegation that he acted in a
racially discriminatory manner. If the basis of this allegation is your assertion that he
failed to provide records as required under the law, that issue as stated above, must be
resolved by a court of law. In the event a court of law enters an order which supports
your assertion in that regard, you may resubmit your complaint along with a copy of such
an order for consideration.
Fine, I will make a new complaint against Mr. Lake. I predict The Bar will close that file too, but
my next complaint will be better than the one being reviewed by Shanell Schuyler.

The Florida Bar

Complaint - Steven Eleazer Lake

October 28, 2016

Page - 2

I will make sure my complaint has a Brewer notice clarifying that the basis of my allegation is
that Mr. Lake is, inter alia, dishonest and obstructed justice, not that he failed to provide records.
The Florida Bar has a conflict of interest with the public that prevents honest complaint review.
A Bar Financial Statement Jun-30-2015-2014 prepared by Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC states at
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, NOTE 1 - NATURE OF BUSINESS
The Florida Bar and Subsidiaries (The Florida Bar) is the statewide professional
organization of lawyers. It serves as an advocate and intermediary for attorneys, the court
and the public. The Florida Bar was established as a unified state bar by rule of the
Supreme Court of Florida. The Florida Bar regulates lawyers in Florida, investigates the
unauthorized practice of law, offers continuing legal education, publishes law journals
and offers other member services.
https://www.scribd.com/document/295778524/2015-2014-June-30-The-Florida-Bar-Financial-Statements

The Florida Bar cannot ethically serve as an advocate and intermediary for attorneys, the court
and the public because those three constituencies have conflicting interests. See Preamble to the
Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, A Lawyers Responsibility, Firm, and Rule 4.1-10 Imputation
of Conflicts of Interests; General Rule, and the conflict Rules 4.1-7, 4.1-8. 4.1-9, and 4.1-11.
From the Preamble, A Lawyers Responsibility, Firm,
With respect to the law department of an organization, including the government, there is
ordinarily no question that the members of the department constitute a firm within the
meaning of the Rules of Professional Conduct. There can be uncertainty, however, as to
the identity of the client. For example, it may not be clear whether the law department of
a corporation represents a subsidiary or an affiliated corporation, as well as the
corporation by which the members of the department are directly employed. A similar
question can arise concerning an unincorporated association and its local affiliates.
Similar questions can also arise with respect to lawyers in legal aid and legal services
organizations. Depending upon the structure of the organization, the entire organization
or different components of it may constitute a firm or firms for purposes of these rules.
http://www.floridabar.org/divexe/rrtfb.nsf/FV/7096F0D9580B063C85257170006A9888

The Florida Bar is described as an unincorporated association in documents filed by The Bar
with the Division of Corporations for a Trademark filing August 24, 2014. Thank you.
Sincerely,

Neil J Gillespie

Neil J. Gillespie
8092 SW 115th Loop
Ocala, Florida 34481
Telephone: 352-854-7807
Email: neilgillespie@mfi.net

Digitally signed by Neil J Gillespie

DN: cn=Neil J Gillespie, o, ou,
email=neilgillespie@mfi.net, c=US
Date: 2016.10.28 09:30:12 -04'00'

Enclosures: Heidi Brewer letters dated October 6 & 14, 2016

THE FLORIDA BAR

JOHN F. HARKNESS, JR.

651 EAST JEFFERSON STREET

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-2300

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

850/561-5600
WWW.FLORIDABAR.ORG

October 31,2016

Mr. Neil J. Gillespie

8092 S.W. 115th Loop
Ocala, FL 34481
Re:

Mr. Steven Eleazer Lake; RFA# 17-4289

Dear Mr. Gillespie:

Receipt of your email and letter dated October 28, 2016 is acknowledged wherein you request
that the Bar "immediately stop or withdraw [sic] the review of this particular RFA." Per your
request, the review of this RFA is withdrawn.
Sincerely,

Shanell M. Schuyler, Director of Intake

ACAP Hotline 866-352-0707
cc:

Mr. Steven Eleazer Lake

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Mr. Neil 1. Gillespie

8092 S.W. 115th Loop
Ocala, FL 34481

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