Model Rule, plus a signed closing statementOH
Ohio fee division
Ohio follows the usual split: the work matches, or both lawyers take joint responsibility and agree to be available to you. You consent in writing after being told who is on the case. In a contingency case, the closing statement is supposed to be signed by you and by each lawyer, unless a court has already approved the division.
Last checked Sep 4, 2026 · LawyerUnc editorial. Educational only, not legal advice.
- The rule
- Ohio R. Prof. Cond. 1.5(e)
- What you sign
- Written consent after full disclosure of each lawyer's identity, that the fees will be divided, and that the division is proportional or that each lawyer assumes joint responsibility. Contingent-fee closing statement: client and each lawyer sign, unless the court approved the division. See 1.5(e)(3) and 1.5(c)(2).
- How the split is allowed
- Proportion to services, or joint responsibility plus availability for consultation with the client.
- Any cap on the referring share
- No Florida-style 25% cap. The total fee must be reasonable. Court approval is an alternative path for the division, not a substitute for a reasonable total.
- Who is not in the fee
- A nonlawyer does not take a percentage of the recovery. Hosting, ads, and software get a flat or metered bill. That is ABA Model Rule 5.4 in substance, and every state on this desk follows it.
For the lawyer on the other end
Ohio copied the Florida-style 'available for consultation' language. Joint responsibility is not a signature with no phone.
The signed closing statement is the Ohio extra. Missing that signature is how otherwise clean PI splits get messy at disbursement.