OBLIC news, events and updates.
New Year Closed File Purge
The turn of the calendar to a new year may inspire lawyers to clean house by purging old client files. If you are so inspired, consider the following: Are the documents to be purged records of client funds or client property held by you? Prof.Cond.R. 1.15 requires that lawyers preserve records of client funds and […]
Legal Malpractice Statute of Repose- Amended
As we have previously reported, effective June 16, 2021, the Ohio legislature enacted R.C. 2305.117 to establish a legal malpractice statute of repose. The statute bars any action upon a legal malpractice claim if the action is not commenced within 4 years after the occurrence of the act or omission that is the basis of […]
Tis the Season! – Holiday Ethics Advice
It is that time of year again—time for reconnecting with family and friends, for celebrating the end of another year, for holiday parties and gift giving. It is also time for some pesky legal ethics questions to bubble up—what are the rules on gift giving again? We know that time, particularly during this season, is […]
Did you “Put the check in the mail?”
Just like many of you, we have gotten very frustrated with the US Postal Service and the length of time it takes to deliver or receive mail, with too many instances of mail completely lost and never delivered. We have encountered countless problems caused by the USPS, impacting the timeliness of applications, payments, etc. Accordingly, […]
October Is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Week #4—Calling for Back-Up Following the loss prevention advice we have offered this month—educating lawyers and staff, assessing risks, and developing a solid Incident Response Plan (“IRP”)—will provide a good base of protection against cyber-crime. However, with cyber-crime constantly evolving, nothing is foolproof. This week we address the resources available to victims after an attack. […]
October Is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Week #3—An Ounce of Preparation… Following cybersecurity best practices in the use of technology (such as recognizing and deleting phishing messages, using a VPN and strong passwords, and regularly updating software) will go a long way in protecting against cyber-attack. However, even the most vigilant still face some risk. As technology evolves, so too does […]
October Is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Week #2—You Are Only As Strong As Your Weakest Link According to the 2020 Internet Crime Report issued by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (“IC3”), the prevalence and cost of cyber-crime increased exponentially in 2020. Cyber-crime reports received by the FBI increased 69% from 2019 to 2020. Reported losses in 2020 exceeded $4.1 billion. […]
Hotline Questions – Retirement Registration Status
“Retirement” means something different to each attorney. OBLIC insured attorneys often call the Hotline to ask what Attorney Registration Status to select when they are retiring. The Answer depends on what the attorney wants to do. Here are options if attorney wants to: Continue to work “part-time” at current firm: Must maintain Active Attorney Registration Status See Gov Bar […]
Transfer on Death Affidavits—
Sometimes It Is The Simple Tasks That Get You A transfer on death affidavit is a simple tool that allows real property to be transferred upon the death of the owner without probate administration. The preparation of the affidavit is fairly straightforward. The requirements for the affidavit and the process are clearly described in R.C. […]
Best Practices for Lateral Hires
One of the changes we have observed at OBLIC recently is the uptick in lateral hires at law firms. While this can be a good way to add attorneys to your firm, it requires due diligence to be sure you are adding the right person. To assist you in this process OBLIC developed a Checklist […]
