The Supreme Court Ohio Annual Report

Supreme Court Releases
Lawyer-Client
Guide
“The tips included in
this consumer guide
should go a long way
toward establishing a
comfort level when the
need arises to hire an
attorney.”
In November 2009, the Supreme Court of Ohio released
a publication that provides practical information about the
lawyer-client relationship for Ohioans considering hiring
an attorney.
A joint project of the Supreme Court Clients’ Security
Fund and Commission on Professionalism, the guide is
intended to promote public confidence in the integrity of
the legal profession in Ohio.
It is hoped that Ohioans use the guide with its easy-tounderstand
terms for help in finding a lawyer, what to
expect after hiring a lawyer, how to avoid problems in
the lawyer-client relationship, and what steps to take if
problems do occur. The guide also contains a glossary of
common legal terms and their definitions.
“Hiring an attorney can present many challenges to
someone unfamiliar with the legal system,” said Janet
Green Marbley, administrator of the Clients’ Security Fund.
“The tips included in this consumer guide should go a
long way toward establishing a comfort level when the need
arises to hire an attorney.”
Lori Keating, secretary to the Commission on
Professionalism, said other aspects of the guide speak
to the duties that the attorney and the client have when
working together. “Appreciating the roles each person
plays and how one’s actions affect the other should reduce
misunderstandings and lead to more successful attorneyclient
relationships,” she said.
The guide will be distributed through multiple channels
to reach Ohio consumers, including judges, clerks of court,
and legal aid and public defender offices. Copies also are
available at no cost for attorneys to provide to their clients.
To download the guide, visit www.supremecourt.ohio.
gov/Publications/consumersguide.pdf.
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