Florida Bar investigates Drejka's attorney

TAMPA (FOX 13) - The Florida Bar has opened an investigation into the lead attorney signed-on to represent Michael Drejka.  

Drejka is charged with manslaughter for the July 19 shooting of Markeis McGlockton in the parking lot of a Clearwater Convenience store.

Bar officials will only confirm there is a solicitation investigation opened on Lysa Clifton.  

There’s no word on who Clifton allegedly was trying to solicit, however, she was retained as Drejka's attorney earlier this week.

In a Pinellas County courtroom Tuesday afternoon, Drejka told the judge he couldn't afford an attorney and was assigned a public defender.

Later that day, Clifton tells us she met with Drejka behind bars.

"During our conversation, he did ask me if I was a lawyer, and he asked me would I be willing to take his case," Clifton said.

The Florida Bar has strict rules when it comes to solicitation and prohibits lawyers from initiating contact with potential clients.

"The Florida Bar expects that lawyers are not going to take advantage of people in vulnerable positions, so if a lawyer knows that a client has a potential case it should really be the client's choice whether or not to speak with the lawyer," said Legal Ethics Attorney, Gwen Daniel.

Daniel says the Bar has become more aggressive going after solicitation cases, but the rule can also be quite subjective. The way it's worded, lawyers can't try to get new clients they haven't worked with in the past if a “significant motive” is their own monetary gain.

"So what does that mean, significant motive? If the lawyer is going to be paid as well as receive publicity or advocate for a cause that they believe in, then I think that raises a factual issue under the rule as to whether or not it would constitute solicitation," Daniel said.

Clifton has been practicing law in the sunshine state since 2012, and has no experience with manslaughter or stand your ground cases. Prominent Tampa Bay Defense Attorneys Bryant Camareno and John Trevena signed-on to work with Clifton on Drejka's defense.

When FOX 13 News asked Clifton how the legal team would be paid, she would not go into detail.

"Any type of monetary issue will be discussed later, there are moves that are being made to compensate us for our representation," Clifton said.

Clifton says she has not been informed by the bar that she's under investigation. 

Florida Bar officials tell us no additional information will be released until the case is closed or sent to a grievance committee.  

We’re told 95 percent of bar complaints made about attorneys reveal there was no unethical conduct.