Last year, The Florida Bar spent $ 750,000 on a campaign to polish the public's perception of the legal profession. This year the Bar is beginning something that may do even more in that regard.

Jacksonville lawyer Hank Coxe is the chairman of a commission set up to review lawyer discipline. The Bar spends nearly a third of its budget trying to get rid of the few bad apples in the profession, and thinks it can do a better job.

Even though the current system is fairly tough, it is not tough enough for some, and it is too uneven for others.

Without a doubt it can be cumbersome. It took four years to get rid of a South Florida mass tort lawyer who ripped off his sick and dying clients of more than $ 800,000.

The Bar disciplines about 400 lawyers each year, and disbars about 30 on average. Compared to states of similar population, that is said to be a high rate. Even so, the state is considered only average by HALT, a legal reform group.

The Coxe commission will report its recommendations to the Legislature next year. Based on the complaints of those within the system, as well as consumers, it appears that there is room for improvement. This could be the starting point.