# Ohio EC 9-6: EC 9-6. Every lawyer owes a solemn duty to uphold the integrity and honor of his profession; > Ohio · Court rules · Superseded URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_OH_PROFRESP_EC_R9_6 ## Section - **Citation:** Ohio EC 9-6 - **Heading:** EC 9-6. Every lawyer owes a solemn duty to uphold the integrity and honor of his profession; - **Jurisdiction:** Ohio - **Kind:** Court rules - **Status:** Superseded - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Ohio Rules of Court / Judges and Attorneys / Ohio Code of Professional Responsibility (Ethical Considerations) / Ohio EC 9-6 ## Text to encourage respect for the law and for the courts and the judges thereof; to observe the Code of Professional Responsibility; to act as a member of a learned profession, one dedicated to public service; to cooperate with his brother lawyers in supporting the organized bar through the devoting of his time, efforts, and financial support as his professional standing and ability reasonably permit; to conduct himself so as to reflect credit on the legal profession and to inspire the confidence, respect, and trust of his clients and of the public; and to strive to avoid not only professional impropriety but also the appearance of impropriety. DISCIPLINARY RULES DR 9-101. AVOIDING EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY. A lawyer shall not accept private employment in a matter upon the merits of which he has acted in a judicial capacity. (B) A lawyer shall not accept private employment in a matter in which he had substantial responsibility while he was a public employee. (C) A lawyer shall not state or imply that he is able to influence improperly or upon irrelevant grounds any tribunal, legislative body, or public official. DR 9-102. PRESERVING IDENTITY OF FUNDS AND PROPERTY OF A CLIENT. All funds of clients paid to a lawyer or law firm, other than advances for costs and expenses, shall be deposited in one or more identifiable bank accounts maintained in the state in which the law office is situated and no funds belonging to the lawyer or law firm shall be deposited therein except as follows: (1) Funds reasonably sufficient to pay bank charges may be deposited therein. (2) Funds belonging in part to a client and in part presently or potentially to the lawyer or law firm must be deposited therein, but the portion belonging to the lawyer or law firm may be withdrawn when due unless the right of the lawyer or law firm to receive it is disputed by the client, in which event the disputed portion shall not be withdrawn until the dispute is finally resolved. (B) A lawyer shall: ng in part to a client and in part presently or potentially to the lawyer or law firm must be deposited therein, but the portion belonging to the lawyer or law firm may be withdrawn when due unless the right of the lawyer or law firm to receive it is disputed by the client, in which event the disputed portion shall not be withdrawn until the dispute is finally resolved. (B) A lawyer shall: (1) Promptly notify a client of the receipt of his funds, securities, or other properties. (2) Identify and label securities and properties of a client promptly upon receipt and place them in a safe deposit box or other place of safekeeping as soon as practicable. (3) Maintain complete records of all funds, securities, and other properties of a client coming into the possession of the lawyer and render appropriate accounts to his client regarding them. (4) Promptly pay or deliver to the client as requested by a client the funds, securities, or other properties in the possession of the lawyer which the client is entitled to receive. (C) A lawyer, law firm, or estate of a deceased lawyer who sells a law practice shall transfer all funds held pursuant to DR 9-102(A) to the lawyer or law firm purchasing the law practice at the time client files are transferred. (D) Nothing in the Code of Professional Responsibility shall be interpreted to prohibit compliance by a lawyer, a law firm, or an ancillary business related to the practice of law in which the lawyer is a principal with the provisions of sections 3953.231, 4705.09, and 4705.10 of the Revised Code and any rules adopted by the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation pursuant to section 120.52 of the Revised Code. (E) No lawyer, law firm, or ancillary business related to the practice of law shall fail to do any of the following: cillary business related to the practice of law in which the lawyer is a principal with the provisions of sections 3953.231, 4705.09, and 4705.10 of the Revised Code and any rules adopted by the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation pursuant to section 120.52 of the Revised Code. (E) No lawyer, law firm, or ancillary business related to the practice of law shall fail to do any of the following: (1) Maintain funds of clients or third persons in an interest-bearing trust account that is established in an eligible depository institution as required by sections 3953.231, 4705.09, and 4705.10 of the Revised Code or any rules adopted by the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation pursuant to section 120.52 of the Revised Code; (2) Notify the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation, in a manner required by rules adopted by the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation pursuant to section 120.52 of the Revised Code, of the existence of an interest-bearing trust account; (3) Comply with the reporting requirement contained in Gov. Bar R. VI, Section 1(F). DEFINITIONS* As used in the Disciplinary Rules of the Code of Professional Responsibility: (1) “Differing interests” include every interest that will adversely affect either the judgment or the loyalty of a lawyer to a client, whether it be a conflicting, inconsistent, diverse, or other interest. (2) “Law firm” includes a legal professional association, corporation, legal clinic, limited liability company, registered partnership, or any other organization under which a lawyer may engage in the practice of law pursuant to the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio. (3) “Person” includes a corporation, an association, a trust, a partnership, and any other organization or legal entity. (4) “Professional legal corporation” means a corporation, or an association treated as a corporation, authorized by law to practice law for profit. ch a lawyer may engage in the practice of law pursuant to the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio. (3) “Person” includes a corporation, an association, a trust, a partnership, and any other organization or legal entity. (4) “Professional legal corporation” means a corporation, or an association treated as a corporation, authorized by law to practice law for profit. (5) “State” includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other federal territories and possessions. (6) “Tribunal” includes all courts and all other adjudicatory bodies. (7) “A Bar association” includes a bar association of specialists as referred to in DR 2-105(A)(1) or (4). (8) “Qualified legal assistance organization” means an office or organization of one of the four types listed in DR 2-103(D)(1)-(4), inclusive that meets all the requirements thereof. (9) “Ancillary business related to the practice of law” includes, but is not limited to, a title insurance company that is owned, operated, or owned and operated by a lawyer or law firm and that is subject to section 3953.231 of the Revised Code. * “Confidence” and “secret” are defined in DR 4-101(A). [Effective: October 5, 1970; amended effective October 20, 1975; June 11, 1979; November 1, 2002.] ## Nearby sections - [Ohio EC 1-1 EC 1-1. A basic tenet of the professional responsibility of lawyers is that every person in our](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_OH_PROFRESP_EC_R1_1.md) - [Ohio EC 1-2 EC 1-2. The public should be protected from those who are not qualified to be lawyers by](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_OH_PROFRESP_EC_R1_2.md) - [Ohio EC 1-3 EC 1-3. Before recommending an applicant for admission, a lawyer should satisfy himself that](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_OH_PROFRESP_EC_R1_3.md) - [Ohio EC 1-4 EC 1-4. 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Whether a lawyer acts properly in volunteering advice to a layman to seek legal services](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_OH_PROFRESP_EC_R2_3.md) - [Ohio EC 2-4 EC 2-4. Since motivation is subjective and often difficult to judge, the motives of a lawyer who](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_OH_PROFRESP_EC_R2_4.md) - [Ohio EC 2-5 EC 2-5. A lawyer who writes or speaks for the purpose of educating members of the public to](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_OH_PROFRESP_EC_R2_5.md) - [Ohio EC 2-6 EC 2-6. Formerly a potential client usually knew the reputations of local lawyers for](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_OH_PROFRESP_EC_R2_6.md) - [Ohio EC 2-7 EC 2-7. Changed conditions, however, have seriously restricted the effectiveness of the](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_OH_PROFRESP_EC_R2_7.md) - [Ohio EC 2-8 EC 2-8. Selection of a lawyer by a layman often is the result of the advice and recommendation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_OH_PROFRESP_EC_R2_8.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_OH_PROFRESP_EC_R9_6. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.