Names & Descriptions
Admissions Committee
The Admissions Committee is comprised of fifteen (15) members on rotating three (3) year terms. The committee’s dual purpose is first to screen candidates for the Ohio Bar Exam on behalf of the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Office of Bar Admissions and secondly, to screen and make recommendations to the Allen County Bar Association regarding applicants for membership.
Appellate Law Committee
The Appellate Law Committee is comprised of the court of appeals’ judges and magistrate, and attorneys who practice in the area of appellate law. The committee’s purpose is to foster discussion related to the practice of law in the court of appeals, provide a forum to raise issues related to the appellate process and functioning of the court and, when possible, formulate solutions. The committee also makes recommendations to the court for the adoption or amendment of its local rules of practice.
Common Pleas Court Civil Law Committee
To serve as a liaison between the Bar Association and the Common Pleas Court concerning the civil bar, and to inform the Bar membership of developments in civil law and educational opportunities concerning civil law.
Common Pleas Court Criminal Law Committee
To serve as a liaison between the Bar Association and the Common Pleas Court concerning the criminal bar, and to inform the Bar membership of developments in criminal law and educational opportunities concerning criminal law.
Continuing Legal Education
The Continuing Legal Education Committee provides the other major source of funding for the Association in addition to the receipt of membership dues. Committee members actively meet multiple times a year to create three to five legal seminars that will help our members and other local attorneys fulfill their biennial CLE requirements with the Supreme Court locally and affordably.
Fellowship & Social Events Committee
The Fellowship & Social Events Committee of the Allen County Bar Association plans the events that have been approved by the Executive Committee. The events that are planned are designed to create camaraderie between our members and to allow our members the opportunity to socialize with the families of our members.
Grievance Committee
The Allen County Bar Association Grievance Committee is certified by the Ohio Supreme Court to receive, investigate, and prosecute claims of unethical conduct by lawyers either in Allen County or involved in a case in Allen County.
The Office of Disciplinary Counsel and the Ohio State Bar Association are certified by the Ohio Supreme Court to receive, investigate, and prosecute claims of unethical conduct by judges and magistrates in Allen County. The Allen County Bar Association Grievance Committee is without jurisdiction to address grievances against judges and magistrates.
If the Allen County Bar Association Grievance Committee determines that the claim against a lawyer is primarily a dispute over fees, it may refer the matter to a Fee Dispute Sub-Committee for further proceedings.
Juvenile Law Committee
The Juvenile Court committee is comprised of a chairperson, the juvenile court judge, and its magistrates. It also is comprised of Attorneys in the Allen County Bar Association. The purpose of the committee is to meet at least annually to assist the court with rule modifications and other matters, which may be beneficial to the Allen County Juvenile Court.
Law Day Committee
To organize the annual Law Day recognition luncheon held in May of each year. The Committee chooses a recipient of the Liberty Bell Award for service to the justice system, and organizes the recognition of attorneys who have reached milestones of longevity in their law practice.
Law Library Committee
To serve as a liaison between the Bar Association and the Allen County Law Library Association, and to inform the bar membership of developments concerning the Allen County Law Library.
Lima Municipal Court Committee
The Lima Municipal Court Committee is comprised of judges, the magistrate, the court administrator, clerk of courts, prosecutors, public defenders, and defense attorneys who regularly practice in the court. The committee’s purpose is to foster discussion related to the practice of law in the court, address any issues affecting that practice, and, when possible, formulate solutions. The committee also makes recommendations to the court for the adoption or amendment of its local rules of practice.
Legislative Update Committee
The Legislative Update Committee stays informed about pending and adopted state legislation, and periodically updates the Association membership on legislative matters which may affect the practice of law.
Member News Committee
The Member News Committee of the Allen County Bar Association was created and is utilized to distribute information to our members regarding other members of our association. The types of information that would be distributed would include a notice of a birth, a notice concerning an illness or accident or death of one of our members or one of their family members or a notice that one of our members received an accolade that is newsworthy.
Memorial Committee
The Memorial Committee maintains biographical information provided by Association members, and upon the death of a current or former Association member, prepares a Memorial Resolution to the Association, which is presented at a memorial service that this committee organizes.
New Members' Committee
The New Members Committee provides opportunities for ACBA members who have been in the practice of law five years or less to meet in informal settings with their colleagues. Typical meetings consist of end-of-the-workday social gatherings and discussions over coffee with experienced attorneys. The committee’s goal is to provide a network for new attorneys and an outlet for professional and personal growth.
Nominations Committee
The Nominations Committee is a sub-committee of the Executive Committee, which is responsible for the continuity of leadership of the Association, and which meets toward the end of the calendar year to select a slate of officers to serve as Executive Committee for the next year.
Public Confidence and Community Outreach Committee
This committee is charged with building a positive image of lawyers throughout the community and identifying areas where the bar association can increase the involvement of its members in local initiatives. Members of the committee participate in mock trials and other educational activities. Further, the committee is also charged with developing a speaker’s bureau that will be available with requests through the association’s website.
Probate Court Committee
The Probate Court Committee is comprised of the probate judge, the magistrate, and attorneys who regularly practice in the probate court. The committee’s purpose is to foster discussion related to the practice of law in the probate court, address any issues affecting that practice and, when possible, formulate solutions. The committee also makes recommendations to the probate court for the adoption or amendment of its local rules of practice.
Real Estate Committee
The Real Estate Committee is comprised of local real estate attorneys. The committee’s purpose is to discuss local title standards and new trends in real estate law and how they should be implemented.
Scholarship Committee
The Scholarship Committee of the Allen County Bar Association is made up of multiple members who each year select two high school seniors from Allen County to receive a one-time scholarship. Each year, the students are given a legal topic and asked to write a short essay discussing the issue. Students then submit the essays to the committee chair who distributes them to committee members for blind review. The committee members then select the two best essays and scholarships are awarded to those students.
Website Committee
In 2018, the Website Committee was formed for the purpose of creating and maintaining a new website for the Association. With the help of other Association members, as well as third-party vendors, the committee oversees the operation of the website, its content, and functionality.
Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee
The Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee investigates situations where non-lawyers are practice law and reports its findings to the Association President.