The board resolved 41 disciplinary cases last year.

The board resolved 41 disciplinary cases last year.

The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct has issued its 2023 annual report, highlighting the disposition of 41 disciplinary cases, including two judicial misconduct cases, and continued efforts to educate Ohio judges and lawyers about their professional responsibilities.

The board’s 41 case dispositions included 33 cases in which the board recommended the imposition of discipline against an Ohio attorney or judge. The board also dismissed one complaint based on insufficient evidence to establish ethical violations. The board conducted 24 panel hearings, spanning 32 days, and held six meetings to review reports from hearing panels and board committees.

The report highlights dispositions in two judicial misconduct cases, both of which included a recommendation of an actual license suspension for a former or sitting judge. The board conducted one judicial misconduct hearing in 2023 and two additional hearings are scheduled for the first quarter of 2024.

The board issued 13 advisory opinions addressing hypothetical questions regarding application of the Rules of Professional Conduct or Code of Judicial Conduct. An additional 29 opinion requests were answered via informal letters issued by the board’s legal staff, and staff responded to more than 1,500 telephone and email inquiries seeking ethics advice.

Staff of the Board of Professional Conduct served as presenters at 35 continuing education seminars for lawyers, judges, and judicial candidates and aided in the development of the Proactive Management-Based Regulation program adopted by the Supreme Court in March.

“The 2023 Annual Report summarizes the many accomplishments of the commissioners and staff to enforce and promote the high ethical standards governing the legal profession,” said Board Director, Richard A. Dove.

The Board of Professional Conduct is a quasi-independent body established in 1957 to assist the Supreme Court of Ohio in its constitutional obligation to regulate the practice of law. The board consists of 28 volunteer commissioners, appointed by the Supreme Court, and employs a staff of four. The activities of the board are funded entirely by attorney registration fees assessed by the Supreme Court.