Citizens Bank has joined the 2015 class of Prime Partner financial institutions, the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation announced today.
The Foundation created the Prime Partners Program in 2012 to recognize financial institutions offering rates and terms above the minimums required for lawyer and title agent trust accounts, known as IOLTA and IOTA accounts. Interest earned on IOLTA and IOTA accounts is a critical source of funding for Ohio’s legal aids.
In addition to preferred terms and rates, Prime Partner financial institutions also meet the Foundation’s criteria for charitable giving, employee involvement, and corporate support for Ohio Legal Aid.
Citizens Bank has announced the launch of a new corporate purchasing card program for Ohio law firms that allows firms to have all or a portion of the their “cash back” rewards sent directly to the Foundation as the statewide funding organization for Ohio Legal Aid. Participating law firms may also be eligible for a premium interest rate paid on IOLTA deposits held at Citizens Bank.
“We’re pleased to participate in the Prime Partners Program and excited about our enhanced purchasing card offerings for Ohio law firms,”said Joseph DiRocco, President of Citizens Bank in Ohio. “The purchasing card program underscores Citizens’ commitment to the legal industry and to the communities that we and our law firm clients serve. It offers firms an effective purchasing solution and an opportunity to increase their support for Ohio Legal Aid at no additional cost to them.”
“The Citizens team has listened to the needs of their clients in the legal community and done a great job developing an innovative solution that helps law firms ensure the fairness of our legal system by contributing to civil legal aid for low-income and vulnerable Ohioans,” said Angela M. Lloyd, Executive Director of the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation. “This program demonstrates Citizens’ strong commitment to supporting access to justice for the residents of Ohio.”
Other 2015 Prime Partner financial institutions are American Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Heartland Bank and Key Bank.