Cleveland Law Library Weblog

Myers University to Be Sold

Myers University, which graduates paralegals who take jobs in Cleveland and surrounding communities, will soon be purchased by a Connecticut firm that intends to invest $2 million to keep the school alive. As you may remember, Myers' President, Richard Scaldini, announced in December that Myers would be closing within a few weeks. Although Myers offers other programs, it has to compete with various other paralegal programs in the area offered by Ursuline College, Lakeland, and Stautzenberger. Click here to read an article about the sale from newsnet5.com.

It's Official-2 Bars Become One in Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association

It's official-as of Friday, March 1, 2008, the Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Bar Associations formally merged into a single entity, becoming the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. The vote, which took place at the offices of the Cleveland Bar Association on Wednesday, February 27th, reportedly overwhelmingly favored unification. The stated mission of the new organization is to "provide a stronger voice for justice and greater service to the community." Until June, the CMBA will have co-presidents in Kerin Lyn Kaminski and Steven L. Gardner. They will step down once a blue ribbon panel recommends new officers for the unified entity. Click here to read our prior post on this Blue Ribbon Panel. The new CMBA has over 6,000 members and will continue to offer quality CLE programs.

Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Bar Associations to Merge 3/1/08

It will soon be a 'done deal' on March 1st when the Cleveland Bar Association and the Cuyahoga County Bar Association formally merge into a single entity. Right now, a joint Blue Ribbon Panel composed of members from both associations is accepting nominations through February 14, 2008 for board positions on the new entity to be named the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. A Press Release issued by the Chair of the Blue Ribbon Panel identifies all of the offices for which nominations are being sought, as well as qualifications for the positions.

Medical Malpractice Claims Down 20% in Ohio

The Toledo Blade and Associated Press reports that the Ohio Department of Insurance has issued a report showing that medical malpractice claims were down 20% in 2006. Only 4,006 claims were filed in 2006, compared to 5,051 in 2005. Although claimants lost 4 out of 5 of their claims, their payouts were over $18,000 larger.

OSBA Offers Certification in Administrative Agency Law

According to its Press Release, the Ohio State Bar Association now offers certification in Administrative Agency Law. The Press Release emphasizes that this new certification is for attorneys who work with "laws and legal principles governing the administration and regulation of city, county, state and federal government agencies." This addition gives the OSBA a 9th feather in its certification cap, adding to the following certifications the OSBA already offers: 1) appellate law; 2) family relations law; 3) federal taxation law; 4) labor and employment law; 5) Ohio workers' compensation law; 6) estate, trust and probate law; 7) residential real property law; and 8) business, commercial and industrial real property law. The right to offer certification is granted by the Supreme Court of Ohio's Commission on Certification of Attorneys as Specialists.

Ohio Bar Exam Results Are Out

The July 24, 2007 Ohio Bar Exam results are out. Click here to go to the Ohio Supreme Court search engine to search for family and friends by last name, residential city, county, state or law school. The Supreme Court Press Release shows a pass rate of 81.3% and provides various links to information about the exam, candidate requirements for admission, and the swearing in ceremonies, which will be held on November 5, 2007 at various times and locations around the state.

OSBA Launches OfficeKeeper as New Online Product for Members

Today, the Ohio State Bar Association launched OfficeKeeper, a totally new online product that is available for OSBA members. The full title of this new resource is OfficeKeeper: Professional Tools for Law Office Management and Client Relations, and it was created as an interactive pdf with live cross-references, URLs and other links. Multiple authors submitted chapters on: business entities; law office basics; legal resources and law libraries; time billing & accounting; case management & office operations (including new clients, collections, file closing procedures, case management software, internet security, and email); hiring, retaining and terminating employees; marketing; practice challenges like making money; quality of life issues; closing, selling or acquiring a law practice; and ethics. The product also contains a lot of handy forms in most of these areas. Check out the chapter on legal resources and law libraries.

Cleveland-1st Year Associates To Bankroll More

An article from today's Crain's Cleveland Business indicates that some Cleveland law firms are going to hike 1st year associate pay by 20% next year. Taking the lead from Jones Day, which increased starting salaries 12.5% this year from $120,000 to $135,000, Calfee Halter has already indicated that its new associates will make 20% more next year by earning $120,000 fresh out of law school. Other large Cleveland firms are apparently following suit, with Ulmer & Berne up'ing its starting salary 9.5% to $115,000. The report provides the following 2007 comparisons for 7 of the largest Cleveland law firms:

Jones Day--$135,000; Baker Hostetler--$120,000; Calfee Halter--$120,000; Thompson Hine--$115,000; Squire Sanders--$130,000; Ulmer & Berne--$115,000; and Benesch Friedlander--$120,000.

The article goes on to suggest reasons why starting pay is going up much faster than the 2% CPI, including the high cost of law school, leaving graduates with huge loans to pay off. Finally, the article  touches only the 'tip of the iceberg' in suggesting that starting pay may affect the price of the billable hour.

Did Jailhouse Lawyer Engage in UPL?

Yesterday, the Ohio Supreme Court announced that the Court dismissed a case that would have answered the question of whether a jailhouse lawyer named Prince Charles Cotton Sr. engaged in the unauthorized practice of law by assisting his fellow inmates by conducting legal research, preparing pleadings and giving legal advice. In Disciplinary Counsel vs. Cotton, Case No. 2004-1130, the Ohio Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that inmates have a right to reasonable access to the courts, and the prison system at issue did not provide an alternative to the services Mr. Cotton was providing. The court was careful to state that it would have reached a different result had Mr. Cotton been engaging in the same activities outside of the prison, where the foreging principles would not apply.

Benesch Friedlander Practicing Law in China

Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff is one of only a few Ohio law firms that has set up an office in China. BFCA recently received a license from the Chinese Ministry of Justice to practice law at a Shanghai law office. This makes BFCA's 5th office, adding to those it already maintains in Cleveland, Columbus, Wilmington, and Philadelphia. Previously, BFCA had an office in China for solely non-legal transactions. BFCA has posted an article explaining how to qualify under China's Rules for registering a Foreign Invested Enterprise.  Click here to read a detailed news article on this new venture in China.