Bricker & Eckler is one of the few major law firms in Ohio with a legal ethics and professional responsibility practice. We recognize that lawyers, law firms and legal services organizations rely on ethical guidance. The firm offers representation to lawyers in solo practice, small, medium and large law firms, public sectors attorneys and in-house corporate counsel. Among the services provided are confidential preventative consultations on ethical practice questions, representation of lawyers on disciplinary claims, malpractice standard of care issues, law firm risk management advice and expert opinions. Some of the common issues that are handled by the legal ethics and professional responsibility practice include:

• Conflict of interest analyses 
• Ex-parte contact with current or former employees 
• Client-lawyer confidentiality issues 
• False testimony by witnesses or clients 
• Document preservation/destruction issues 
• Sarbanes-Oxley issues of legal compliance 
• Responsibilities when lawyers change firms 
• Terminated representation – file responsibilities
• Multi-jurisdictional practice issues 
• File maintenance/destruction issues 
• Disputes regarding fee/engagement agreements
• Malicious prosecution/abuse of process cases
• Expert witness opinions 
• Admissions advice and proceedings for law students/graduates
• Unauthorized practice of law representation

Al Mathews is a member of the Bricker & Eckler litigation group. In addition to his litigation and administrative practice, he provides preventative consultation and advisory opinions to Ohio Lawyers on legal ethics issues. As a former Assistant Disciplinary Counsel for the Supreme Court of Ohio, he brings practical knowledge about how principles of legal ethics are applied. Bricker & Eckler is excited to welcome Al and his new sphere of expertise to the firm. As the ethics and disciplinary practice continues to emerge, Al’s vast experience will be a strong addition to the talented team of attorneys that Bricker & Eckler offers its various clients.

Related Services

Al provides expert witness opinions on lawyer professional conduct issues in litigation. Al provides statewide representation of lawyers in disciplinary investigations and proceedings and has argued over 20 lawyer discipline cases in the Ohio Supreme Court. Along with handling other litigation matters, he represents businesses and individual licensees in matters before administrative agencies and state professional licensing boards.