In 2015, the Supreme Court of Ohio Task Force on Access to Justice issued a report that recommended “the promotion of limited-scope representation, also known as unbundled services, as a way to provide legal representation to litigants who may have the means to hire an attorney for a limited purpose, even if not for the entire legal matter.” Several bar associations across the State, including Akron and Cleveland, already promote limited-scope representation through limited scope referral programs. The Cincinnati Bar Association can now be added to that list.
Several months ago, the Hamilton County Domestic Relations Court convened a group of legal professionals including the court administrators of the First District Court of Appeals, Hamilton County Domestic Relations Court, Hamilton County Juvenile Court, the Cincinnati Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service, Legal Aid, and the University of Cincinnati Law Clinic Program. The intent of the meetings was to investigate ways to provide additional means of access to justice in local courts. Specifically, the group targeted assisting those clients who may not have sufficient funds to secure full representation by an attorney, but would benefit from representation in a limited part of a case. After many meetings, the idea of the Limited Scope Representation Panel was born. The Limited Scope Panel will be a part of the Cincinnati Bar Association’s (CBA) Lawyer Referral Service Program.
On December 7, 2022, these exciting changes to the Lawyer Referral Service Program will be presented at a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) event. The idea is to create a panel of willing and qualified attorneys to aid clients in parts of a case rather than full representation. This will allow attorneys to meet clients where they are and provide a financially sound way to retain counsel. All CBA members interested in joining the Limited Scope Representation Panel may attend the CLE event for free. The training will provide best practices and review ethical considerations in setting up a limited-scope practice. Additionally, there will be presentations from the Hamilton County Domestic Relation Court, the Hamilton County Juvenile Court, the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati, and the First District Court of Appeals.
To view the CLE schedule, click here.
To view a CBA article on Limited Scope Representation, click here.
