Lawyers are raising serious concerns about what they allege is unethical conduct by Pam Bondi, former Florida Attorney General and until her recent dismissal, U.S. Attorney General, in a formal complaint to the Florida Bar and amid growing scrutiny within the legal community of alumni of her alma mater, Stetson Law School in Gulfport, Florida.
On April 22, Jon May, a longtime criminal defense lawyer and former Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Johnny Bardine, a Pinellas County-based family law attorney, joined MidPoint to discuss these concerns. They allege that Bondi has violated the ethical responsibilities mandated by the Rules of Professional Conduct of the Florida Bar and has done reputational damage to Stetson Law School and devalued the law degrees the school confers.
During the discussion, they examined whether power, status, or financial influence affected Bondi’s judgment. The lawyers argue that she crossed professional boundaries and may have enabled improper conduct among attorneys under her supervision.
Jon May filed a formal complaint with the Florida Bar seeking disciplinary action against Bondi’s law license, emphasizing that a broad group of legal experts supports this, including former judges, leaders of legal organizations, and law professors specializing in ethics and professional conduct. The complaint alleges that Bondi violated established ethical rules while serving as U.S. Attorney General. Although her actions occurred outside Florida, May explains that she remains subject to Florida Bar discipline under her state license. He adds that federal law requires government attorneys to follow the rules of the states where they are licensed. Although the Bar complaint was dismissed without action by the Bar because Bondi was a federal appointee of the President, now that she has been fired, May intends to renew the complaint with additional allegations of her ethical lapses.
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Johnny Bardine, a fellow Stetson Law graduate, stressed that attorneys in positions of authority must uphold the highest ethical standards. He added that consistent enforcement of the ethics rules is essential to maintaining public trust. He launched a campaign urging Stetson University College of Law to revoke the distinguished graduate honors previously awarded to Bondi, and withhold donations to the school until it takes some action to publicly acknowledge and repudiate Bondi’s alleged unethical conduct.
In the Tampa Bay area, Bondi remains a familiar figure, making the scrutiny more immediate for many observers. As attention grows, the focus is shifting to how the Florida Bar will respond to renewed complaints and whether additional reviews will follow. The outcome will not only address Bondi’s actions but also test whether the legal system will hold influential attorneys to the same standards as everyone else.
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This article appears in Apr. 23 – 29, 2026.