TPAs and the Unauthorized Practice of Law

In a much anticipated order, the Supreme Court has issued a decision in the Cleveland Bar Assn. v. CompManagement, Inc. case. As predicted by our firm, the Supreme Court affirmed the 1970 agreement between the actuarial companies and the Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee of the Ohio Bar Association, while further approving Industrial Commission Resolution R04-1-01.

By way of background, the Cleveland Bar Association filed a Complaint against CompManagement based upon CompManagment’s practice of representing employer’s before the Industrial Commission in Cuyahoga County. Within that Complaint, the Bar Association alleged that CompManagement was engaged in the unauthorized practice of law and thus, was in violation of the agreement entered into in 1970 between the actuarial services and the Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee.