Ohio Gov. Bar. R. 2

As amended through October 29, 2024
Section 2 - Conditions for Participating in a Lawyer Referral Service
(A) Each lawyer referral and information service shall include the following provisions in its application or agreement governing participation in the lawyer referral and information service:
(1) Each attorney-member of the service shall maintain professional liability insurance in the minimum amounts of one hundred thousand dollars per occurrence and three hundred thousand dollars in the aggregate. The service shall require the attorney-member to provide proof of insurance on an annual basis in the form of a copy of the current policy declarations page.
(2) An attorney-member shall be suspended from further participation in the service under any of the following circumstances:
(a) The attorney-member is disbarred or suspended from the practice of law;
(b) Any grievance proceeding against the attorney-member results in a determination of probable cause;
(c) The attorney-member is named in a criminal indictment, information, or complaint that charges a crime involving moral turpitude or dishonesty.
(3) Each attorney-member shall promptly notify the service, in writing, if the attorney-member is not in full compliance with the terms of the service's referral agreement, is notified of a probable cause determination in a grievance proceeding against the attorney-member, is named in a criminal indictment, information, or complaint that charges a crime involving moral turpitude or dishonesty, or if any information in the attorney-member's application to become a member of the service is not true and correct in any respect.
(4) Each attorney-member shall waive the right of confidentiality granted pursuant to Gov. Bar R. V, Section 8 to the extent necessary to permit the service to be informed or inquire as to the existence of any grievance proceeding against the attorney-member that results in a determination of probable cause.
(5) The service and each attorney-member shall agree to participate in arbitration or mediation in an effort to settle fee disputes that may arise between the service and attorney-member, as a result of referrals made by the service to the attorney-member. Division (A)(5) of this section shall not apply to fee disputes between an attorney-member and his or her client.
(B) The requirements set forth in this rule represent minimum standards applicable to each lawyer referral and information service. A service may impose on its attorney-members more restrictive provisions, including, but not limited to any of the following:
(1) Additional grounds for suspension from further participation in the service;
(2) Additional requirements regarding notice of pending grievance proceedings;
(3) The waiver of confidentiality granted pursuant to Gov. Bar R. V, Section 8 prior to a determination of probable cause.
(C) As used in this section, "probable cause" has the same meaning as used in Gov. Bar R. V, Section 35.

Ohio. Gov. Bar. R. 2