The Florida Supreme Court vindicated former Tripp Scott director Peter G. Herman, ending nearly a decade of ethics litigation–and indicating a change in how the justices view a defense in attorney ethics cases.

And Andrew S. Berman, a partner at Young, Berman, Karpf & Karpf in Miami, who is not involved in the litigation, said the case strengthens the precedent in which a lawyer can rely on the advice of counsel defense when it comes to certain legal issues.