Are you a snow bird? Do you or one of your partners have a second home in Florida? Many do, and it’s long been a source of anxiety that working remotely from that home might be a problem. After all, many of those doing client work while in the Sunshine State are not licensed to
It’s five o’clock somewhere: Lawyers working remotely from other jurisdictions during COVID-19
Whether to flee from areas experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks, or simply to take advantage of the opportunity to work far away from the office, lawyers may sometimes wish to work remotely from a jurisdiction other than the one where they are licensed. Though you may dream of “practicing” from a laptop in the distant California mountains,
Sexy texts, unauthorized practice spell suspension for OH lawyer
An Ohio lawyer crossed a border and also a line, leading to a two-year suspension and a restitution order under an opinion the state supreme court handed down this week. The suspension was based on ethics violations as to numerous clients, but one involved the prohibitions against unauthorized practice and sexual activity with clients. The
Large school debt spells possible trouble for Ohio bar applicant
An Ohio law school grad might not be allowed to sit for this year’s bar exam partly because she and her husband have a combined educational debt of almost $900,000 that they are unlikely ever to pay off.
The state’s Board on Character and Fitness recommended that the applicant not be allowed to take the
DOJ division leader apologizes for license lapse and inadvertent practice
Have you recently made a career move — maybe going in-house? Or shifting from a firm to government work? When you’re dealing with a work-life change, watch out for details that can too-easily fall through the cracks — like your license to practice, the date it expires, and whether you are in line to get
Five ways to stay out of ethics trouble in 2020
As 2020 kicks off, let’s take a look back at situations that got lawyers into ethical hot water last year. They each point to some ways you can stay out of trouble this year.
1. Talk nicely
As widely reported, calling your opposing counsel a “bowl of d- – ks,” among other epithets is
Practicing without a license is a license to lose your practice, says Ohio court
The practice of law comes in many forms and sizes. It may include giving advice about a legal right, representing a client in a legal proceeding, preparing legal documents, and negotiating on a client’s behalf. Yet what all these acts have in common is that you must have state authorization to so act. You face
Ohio considers rule change to allow practice while lawyers wait to “waive in”
Although I love my home state of Ohio, I have to acknowledge that we are not often in the avant-garde when it comes to legal ethics. After all, Ohio was one of the last jurisdictions in the Union to adopt the Model Rules of Professional Conduct (2007). But last week, the Ohio Supreme Court put
Cases underscore some pro hac vice ethics pitfalls
If you’re admitted to handle a case PHV, mind your P’s and Q’s.
Translation: Pro hac vice admission to practice before a court outside the state where you’re licensed requires attention to a range of ethics duties, and running afoul of them can have bad consequences. Two recent cases spotlight some of the issues.
We’re
Riders on the storm: your ethics duties in a disaster
In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, which last month dumped up to 35 inches of rain on parts of the Carolinas, Virginia and Maryland, caused 48 deaths, and up to $22 billion in property damage, comes a timely new ABA opinion about our ethical obligations related to disasters.
The hurricane did not spare