Ohio Lawyers

The Supreme Court of Ohio is the highest authority controlling the practice of law in Ohio. Before being permitted to practice in Ohio, a lawyer must receive a law degree from a law school approved by the American Bar Association. If a lawyer attended a law school within Ohio, the school should be a member of the League of Ohio Law Schools. After obtaining a law degree, a candidate for admission to the Ohio bar must pass a background check, successfully complete a bar examination, and take an oath of office. The lawyer is then officially granted the title of attorney and counselor-at-law, and may practice in any Ohio court.

To practice in a federal court, the attorney may need to pass additional examinations on federal law in certain jurisdictions.A lawyer may be hired for a number of reasons. If an individual is arrested for a crime, or is named as a defendant in a civil or criminal suit, a lawyer is almost always needed. In other cases, such as real estate transactions or bankruptcy proceedings, the need for a lawyer may not be immediately apparent.

When in doubt, a good rule of thumb is to seek preliminary legal advice. Not doing so may jeopardize one's legal position later.With the many differences in laws from state to state, it is always a good idea to hire a local lawyer who is familiar with legal procedures in a particular state. Finding lawyers in Ohio is relatively easy. The Ohio State Bar Association website provides links to members of this voluntary association, and to regional and local bar associations.

Most of these associations offer lawyer referral services to help make the search for a suitable lawyer easier. Friends, family members or other trusted individuals might also be able to provide word-of-mouth referrals.

By: Alison Cole