OBLIC news, events and updates.

As law firms continue to adapt to our post-COVID world, office sharing is in the mix of options. Whether a solo attorney looking to maximize an office location or a multi-location firm seeking to economize unused offices, there are ethical duties that apply. The ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility recently issued Formal […]

That pit in your stomach? The flushed feeling rushing over your face? Chances are if you’ve been in practice long enough, you’ve felt a similar sensation upon realizing the deadline is (oh no!) TODAY and not next Friday. But you caught it, and now you’ve got enough time to either meet the deadline (like filing […]

Estate Administrator Pitfalls  Analyzing trends over the previous five years, the broad practice area of estate planning, trust, and probate has become one of the top areas of practice for malpractice claims. Most errors fall into one of three categories: competence, conflicts, and clients. This week we’ll focus on a couple of issues involving substantive […]

Four recent Opinions by the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct addressed a variety of practice issues. We reported these Opinions in the Summer Malpractice Alert and the following are brief summaries.  Opinion 2023-03 Application of Code of Judicial Conduct to Mayor’s Court Magistrates will be of particular interest to those who practice before Mayor’s Court, […]

The use of Artificial Intelligence in the legal industry continues to be an evolving and highly discussed topic. While you may be getting updates from other sources on news and developments, we wanted to synthesize a few important developments on the generative AI front.  1. Lawyers sanctioned for sloppy use of ChatGPT and reaction from […]

A recent crime drama series sparked a plethora of “Better Call” references in popular culture. We conclude most of our OBLICAlerts and publications to our policyholders with an invitation to call OBLIC. Unfortunately, we continue to encounter situations where an insured attorney hesitated to call, often aggravating issues that could have been avoided or mitigated […]

Like other industries, attorneys are adapting to changing workforce trends. This includes greater flexibility facilitated by developments in technology and remote work capabilities. A recent hotline call posted a question regarding simultaneous employment at different firms. While we’ve previously addressed a similar question regarding of-counsel relationships, this one had a new twist: can a licensed […]

A significant stride forward in expanding legal services in rural areas of Ohio, House Bill 150 was signed into law last year which creates and funds Ohio’s Rural Practice Incentive Program. Effective April 3, 2023, HB 150 authorizes a student loan payment of up to $50,000 for attorneys who are accepted into and then subsequently […]

OBLIC has often stressed the importance of good client communication, including succinctly and clearly informing clients in writing about legal fees for representation. Earlier this month, the ABA in Formal Opinion 505 addressed Fees Paid in Advance for Contemplated Services. As we report on this ABA Opinion, it is important to note the differences from […]

In this week’s OBLIC Alert, we have a couple of practical tips that coincide with suggested administrative tasks in this Spring’s Malpractice Alert. Remember that the Cyber Toolbox available to OBLIC policyholders is full of useful resources to help prevent a cyber breach. Multi-Factor Authentication or Two-Factor Authentication is an added layer of security that […]