Saturday, January 07, 2017

Ohio's Lawyers' Fund For Client Protection Shells Out $236K To 36 Victims Of Attorney Theft As Reimbursement For Misappropriations By 13 Former Or Suspended Attorneys

In Columbus, Ohio, Court News Ohio reports:
  • The Board of Commissioners of the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection awarded $236,177 to 36 victims of attorney theft at its quarterly meeting Dec. 2.

    In all, 13 former or suspended Ohio attorneys were found to have misappropriated client funds. Six deceased attorneys were also involved in the claims presented to the board of commissioners.
    ***
    The Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection, formerly known as the Clients’ Security Fund, was created in 1985 by the Supreme Court of Ohio to reimburse victims of attorney theft, embezzlement, or misappropriation.(1) The fund is not taxpayer funded, but is funded primarily by registration fees paid by every Ohio attorney. Ohio has more than 44,000 attorneys engaged in the active practice of law. Less than 1 percent of those attorneys is involved in claims reimbursed by the fund.

    Law clients who believe they have sustained financial losses resulting from attorney theft, embezzlement, or misappropriation should contact the fund by calling 614.387.9390 or 1.800.231.1680 toll free in Ohio.
For more, including a county-by-county breakdown of the named attorneys for whom the state's Lawyers' Fund For Client Protection had to shell out cash to (at least partially, if not fully) reimburse their victimized ex-clients, see 36 Victims of Attorney Theft Awarded More Than $230,000.
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(1) For similar "attorney ripoff reimbursement funds" that attempt to clean up the financial mess created by the dishonest conduct of lawyers licensed in other states and Canada, see:
Maps available courtesy of The National Client Protection Organization, Inc.

posted by Home Equity Theft Reporter at 4:08 AM