OBLIC news, events and updates.

Wire fraud prevention depends less on spotting suspicious messages than on following a process that no email, phone call or urgent request can override. Unfortunately losses due to financial crimes continue to grow. In 2025, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 1 million complaints, with reported losses totaling $20.877 billion; business email […]

A five-step framework for evaluating AI tools, managing professional responsibility, pilot testing, and firmwide adoption. There’s a lot of buzz around the pros and cons of AI adoption in the legal sector. Attorneys in Ohio and across the country are weighing ethics guidance, news of sanctions rulings involving misuse, and bold promises of efficiency. While […]

The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct has issued Advisory Opinion 2026-02, offering practical guidance for Ohio law firms that use a registered trade name or fictitious name, often referred to as a DBA, in marketing and public-facing communications.  The opinion addresses a question arising out of a common law firm marketing practice: if a firm is formally organized as an LLC, […]

Summer vacations, medical procedures, family obligations, and other short-term absences are a normal part of life and practice. But before stepping away, attorneys should plan ahead to protect client matters, deadlines, and communications. This article explains how to cover your law practice while you are out of office. Control Your Calendar  A short-term absence plan does not need […]

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 […]