OBLIC news, events and updates.

The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct recently released a new Ethics Guide: Artificial Intelligence for Lawyers and Judicial Officers, offering practical guidance for Ohio lawyers and judges on the ethical use of AI. As “AI is rapidly becoming a standard tool for practicing lawyers,” the Guide highlights key professional responsibility issues and references ethics opinions […]

What Happens to Client Funds When Representation Ends? When representation ends, any unearned portion of a fee paid in advance (retainer) must be returned to the client. This obligation applies whether the matter concludes as planned, the client terminates the relationship, or the lawyer withdraws. At that point, funds held in trust remain client property […]

Benefits, Ethics, and Implementation Guidance for Ohio Law Firms Lawyers can make billing more predictable by using evergreen retainers, which maintain a consistent trust balance and reduce accounts receivable. This piece is part of a series discussing fee agreements and billing practices. In prior articles, we covered fee types, retainers, alternative fee models, fee agreement upgrades, and how […]

Dealing with difficult clients can present challenging situations. Recognizing red flags like unreasonable requests from a potential or existing client require careful consideration and managing expectations from the outset. What Are the Warning Signs of a Difficult Client? Unreasonable expectations Listen carefully to the client before you undertake representation. Early conversations to explore the client’s […]

Before you disburse funds, spot and stop fraud that steals from your law firm and your clients. Fraud schemes targeting lawyers are evolving — from business email compromise to AI-generated deepfakes. Criminals exploit the trust inherent in the lawyer–client relationship to pressure lawyers into disbursing funds quickly or to redirect client payments through deceptive communications. […]

Effective March 1, 2026, professionals involved in residential real estate closings will be required to file a Real Estate Report for certain real estate transfers.   Which real estate transfers require the filing of a Residential Real Estate Report?  The Anti-Money Laundering Regulations for Residential Real Estate Transfer final rule issued by The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) requires the report for transfers in […]

When refiling a new action, how is a year calculated under the Savings Statute and relevant Revised Code sections? The Ohio Supreme Court recently issued its decision in Sauter v. Integrity Cycles, L.L.C., Slip Opinion No. 2026-Ohio-88, clarifying when filing a claim under the savings statute of R.C. 2305.19, the claim must be filed within one year of the date that it […]

Applying client funds from one matter to another can trigger trust-account and ethics issues. Read on to learn why the practice of cross-matter setoff is risky and how to avoid pitfalls. This piece is part of a series discussing Fee Agreements. In prior articles, we covered fee types, retainers, alternative fee models, and fee agreement upgrades. This week we dive […]

Fee Agreement Upgrades That Reduce Friction and Protect Revenue This piece is part of a series discussing Fee Agreements. In prior articles, we covered fee types, retainers, and alternative fee models. Below, we discuss what makes those models work day-to-day: fee agreement terms that support predictable billing, cleaner collection, and fewer payment disputes. In upcoming articles, we’ll cover other elements to include in […]

Season’s Greetings from OBLIC! As we turn the page into a new year, we’d like to share a few reflections and highlight some of the new and expanded services available to you at OBLIC. Throughout 2025, we remained steadfast in our commitment to providing industry-leading customer service across all departments—Claims & Loss Prevention, Underwriting, and […]