Upon admission to practice, all Ohio attorneys take an oath to uphold the constitutions (of both the United States and Ohio) and the law and to be faithful to their clients. Members of the OSBA take that oath seriously and work in conjunction with the Supreme Court of Ohio to ensure all attorneys and legal professionals are held to the highest standards of ethical conduct.  

The OSBA sponsors a certified Grievance Committee, which accepts and investigates complaints against attorneys and judges who have fallen short of these standards. Additionally, as the top provider of continuing legal education (CLE) in the state, the OSBA also offers regular courses on professional conduct and ethics that help attorneys satisfy their Supreme Court CLE requirements.

The OSBA also has an Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, which is designed to protect consumers who have fallen victim to those who hold themselves out to be attorneys, or who more commonly, provide legal advice though they are not licensed or trained to do so. The Committee actively investigates such allegations and files substantiated complaints with the Supreme Court of Ohio Board on the Unauthorized Practice of Law, seeking injunctions and civil penalties when appropriate.