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In-house attorney elected chair of Unauthorized Practice of Law Board
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: June 4, 2021
He’s served on the Ohio Supreme Court Unauthorized Practice of Law Board since 2017, now attorney David Tschantz has been elected as chair.
The former vice chairman began a one-year term on Jan. 1, 2021, replacing outgoing chair Kent Kiffner, who nominated him for the position.
“David has a long history of service in support of the court,” said Kiffner, general counsel for The Source Holding in Columbus, a medical marijuana operator. “He is a tireless worker, who is well versed in the court’s operations and I believe he will be a great asset to the board.”
The 13-member board conducts hearings, preserves the record and makes findings and recommendations to the Ohio Supreme Court in cases involving unauthorized practice of law allegations. The board also has the power to issue informal nonbinding advisory opinions on matters concerning the unauthorized practice of law.
Board members are appointed by the Ohio Supreme Court to three-year terms and annually elect a chair and vice chair.
“It was a very pleasant surprise,” said Tschantz, vice president and general counsel for Christian Healthcare Ministries in Barberton. “It’s nice when your peers think enough of you to elect you to a leadership role. I am honored to serve as chair. It is a singular responsibility. The board does important work to protect the legal profession and Ohio consumers. I don’t want to let the court or the people of Ohio down.”
Retired Jones Day attorney David Kutik, an adjunct professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, was elected as the new vice chair.
“Mr. Kutik is someone who is well versed in unauthorized practice of law matters and precedent and is very capable of handling any issues that come before the board,” said Kiffner.
“David Kutik and I have known one another for a while now and he’s a very good man,” said Tschantz. “I’m glad to have him as our vice chairman.”
Born in Canton, Ohio, Tschantz graduated from Louisville High School.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from Kent State University, Tschantz began working as a claims adjuster for Wayne Mutual Insurance Company in Wooster.
“The president of the company told me shortly after I started there in 1984 that they needed a lawyer, and that if I went to law school he would hire me when I got my degree. So I became a night student at The University of Akron and worked for the company during the day,” said Tschantz.
“When I graduated law school in 1989, I was promoted to corporate counsel.”
Tschantz spent 35 years at Wayne Mutual, receiving several promotions during his tenure with the company. At the same time, he also served ten years as an officer in the Ohio Army National Guard, earning the rank of captain.
When he left Wayne Mutual at the end of 2019 to join Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM) he was vice president of claims and corporate counsel.
“I learned about the position at CHM from a board member while attending a Christian concert near my home,” he said. “The conversation led to an interview and ultimately to my being hired.
“My new company is not as different from the insurance company as some might think,” said Tschantz. “CHM is a faith-based organization that helps members with medical expenses without the benefit of a contract or a guarantee. While we are not in the insurance business, we still specialize in helping people and we have done a very good job fulfilling that mission.”
A resident of Wayne County, Tschantz and his wife Ann have two adult daughters and two grandsons.
Over the years, he’s served on multiple committees and boards. He was the chairman of the Ohio Insurance Institute’s legislative committee for ten years and a nine-year member of the Ohio Supreme Court Board of Professional Conduct, which he chaired for two years.
As chair of the Unauthorized Practice of Law Board, he is responsible for presiding over the meetings, ensuring that all board members have a chance to be heard and calling for a vote when consensus is achieved.
“I also work very closely with Minerva Elizaga, the secretary of the board, on various items of board business, including the approval of expenses submitted to us by the unauthorized practice of law committees that are part of various local bar associations around the state,” said Tschantz.
A member of the Ohio State and Wayne County bar associations, Tschantz currently sits on the board of Pike Mutual Insurance Company and provides pro bono advice to various community organizations, including the Camp Tuscazoar Foundation, which owns and operates a 600-acre camping area in northern Tuscarawas County.
He has led and managed nonprofit restoration projects around Ohio, including restoring a historic bridge near Camp Tuscazoar and his ancestral family log cabin, built in 1824, which still sits on his ancestors’ farm near Kidron, Ohio and is now owned by the Kidron Community Historical Society.
Tschantz’s term as chair of the Unauthorized Practice of Law Board ends at the end of 2021, but he is allowed to serve a second year.
“For now I am focusing on making the most of this year,” he said. “I’ll evaluate what comes next down the road.”