Cease and Desist, UPL of Marty Stone, McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLP

Marty Stone

Cease and Desist, UPL of Marty Stone, McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLP
Justice Network
By Neil J. Gillespie
May 27, 2020

The Florida Bar accepted a cease and desist affidavit from Marty Stone, then the Florida operator of McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC (MRLP), in the Unlicensed Practice of Law Investigation of Marty Stone File No. 20191041 (17A). In December 2018, Neil J. Gillespie filed an unlicensed practice of law (UPL) complaint against Marty Stone.

Gillespie alleged on The Florida Bar UPL complaint form in part:

"None of the named owners of McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC (MRLP) are members of The Florida Bar. Marty Stone, Manager, is not a member of The Florida Bar."

"A person not a member of The Florida Bar is a nonlawyer. McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC can not lawfully operate as a law firm in Florida when it is owned and managed by nonlawyers."


On January 14, 2019 Algeisa Vazquez, Branch UPL Counsel wrote Gillespie in part:

RE: Unlicensed Practice of Law Investigation of Marty Stone
File No. 20191041 (17A)

Your unlicensed practice of law complaint against Marty Stone which you sent to The Florida Bar in Tallahassee was forwarded to me in the Ft. Lauderdale Branch because the complaint form lists a Ft. Lauderdale address for the respondent. I have opened the above-referenced file at staff level to evaluate your complaint. 

Thank you for bringing this matter to the attention of The Florida Bar. You will be notified of the final disposition.

On August 6, 2019 Ms. Vazquez wrote Gillespie in part:

This is to notify you that I have completed our staff level evaluation of your unlicensed practice of law complaint against the above-referenced individual and have now referred the file to the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Unlicensed Practice of Law Committee "A" for further investigation and resolution. The investigating committee member assigned to the file may contact you with questions or a request for information. You will be notified of the final disposition of this matter.

On April 29, 2020 Ms. Vazquez wrote Gillespie in part:

RE: Unlicensed Practice of Law Investigation of Marty Stone
File No. 20191041 (17A)

In December 2018, you filed an unlicensed practice of law complaint against the above referenced individual. The Seventeenth Circuit Unlicensed Practice of Law Committee "A" closed the case based on the acceptance of an affidavit. The affidavit does not require the individual to admit any wrongdoing, however, the individual agrees not to engage in any activities which constitute the unlicensed practice of law under existing decisions of the Supreme Court of Florida.

The affidavit required by The Florida Bar amounts to a cease and desist affidavit from Mr. Stone, then the Florida operator of McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC (MRLP). The full public record is on Scribd.

**Follow-up Inquiry to Ali Vasquez re The Florida Bar UPL investigation of Marty Stone manager and CEO of MRLP