Ziggy Stardust Wrote:Since when did you become a lawyer Ruehls? :D
the long ago year of 1981. sigh.
Bearcat Steve Wrote:... The judge said that it was OK for her to do what she was doing as long as she did not appear in a court of law in Ohio. In other words, it is OK to give someone legal advice to someone in Ohio if you are not a member of the Ohio Bar as long as you don't appear in court.
i'm no expert on this subject, and how states handle this varies dramatically across state lines, but i don't think that's right Steve.
lots of attorneys never appear in court (real estate attys, tax attys, bond counsel, etc.) but they have to be licensed in ohio if they practice here. if she was being paid a fee here, it's a no brainer.
here's the ohio supreme court rule on registration:
Section 4. Attorneys not Admitted in Ohio.
(A) An attorney who is admitted to the practice of law in another state or in the District of Columbia, but not in Ohio , and who is
employed full-time by a nongovernmental Ohio employer may register for corporate status by filing a Certificate of Registration and paying the fee as required by Section 1 of this rule. The Attorney Registration Section may require additional information and documents, including a certificate of admission and good standing from the jurisdiction in which the attorney is admitted, from an attorney who registers for corporate status. An attorney who is granted corporate status may perform legal services in Ohio solely for a nongovernmental Ohio employer, as long as the attorney is a full-time employee of that employer. Registration under this section shall be effective and may be renewed biennially only as long as the attorney is so employed. An attorney who is granted corporate status shall promptly notify the Attorney Registration Section in writing upon termination of full-time employment with the Ohio employer.
(B) An attorney who is granted corporate status may not practice before any court or agency of this state on behalf of the attorney's employer or any person except himself or herself, unless granted leave by the court or agency.
An attorney who is admitted to the practice of law in another state or in the District of Columbia, but not in Ohio, and who performs legal services in Ohio for his or her employer, but fails to register in compliance with this section or does not qualify to register under this section, may be referred for investigation of the unauthorized practice of law under Gov. Bar R. VII, Section 3 and shall be precluded from applying for admission without examination under Gov. Bar R. I, Section 9.
(D) Division (A) of this section shall not apply to an attorney who is admitted to the practice of law in another state or in the District of Columbia, but not in Ohio , and who is employed by, associated with, or a partner in an Ohio law firm. Until the attorney is admitted to the practice of law in Ohio , the attorney may not practice law in Ohio , hold himself or herself out as authorized to practice law in Ohio , or practice before any nonfederal court or agency in this state on behalf of any person except himself or herself, unless granted leave by the court or agency. The law firm may include the name of the attorney on its letterhead only if the letterhead includes a designation that the attorney is not admitted in Ohio.
(E) An attorney's registration in compliance with this section shall not be considered in determining whether the attorney satisfies the practice of law requirements set forth in Gov. Bar R. I, Sec. 9(A)(2).
if she doesn't hold corporate status, and if uc is not a "non-governmental employer," and if there isn't some other exemption, she may have a problem, but she sure ain't going to jail.