Supreme Court of Ohio 2006 Annual Report - Supreme Court - State ...

Board of
Commissioners of
the Clients’ Security
Fund
Luis M. Alcalde
Hon. Patricia Blackmon
Kenneth R. Donchatz
Edward G. Hack
Diane Smilanick
William S. Newcomb Jr.,
chair
Clifton L. Spinner
Clients’ Security Fund
The Clients’ Security Fund was created by the Supreme
Court of Ohio, pursuant to Rule VIII of the Supreme Court
Rules for the Government of the Bar, to reimburse law
clients who have been the victims of theft, embezzlement or
misappropriation by an attorney admitted to practice law in
Ohio.
In 2006, staff included an administrator, a claims analyst,
a fiscal specialist and a secretary. The Court appoints a sevenmember
board of commissioners to determine the eligibility
of claims filed with the fund.
Claim activity during fiscal year 2006 included:
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335 requests for applications for reimbursement
257 applications for reimbursement
The dismissal of 80 applications
Four board meetings, resulting in a review of 135
claims
Reimbursements totaling $946,967 to102 eligible
claimants
Determinations that 33 claims were ineligible for
reimbursement (five claims were tabled)
Approval of three applications for attorney fees
totaling $900
Payment of claims involving 32 attorneys.
Since its inception in 1985, the Clients’ Security Fund
has awarded about $11,886,796 to 2,143 former law clients.
The amounts reimbursed by the Clients’ Security Fund are
attributable to less than 1 percent of Ohio’s more than 54,145
licensed attorneys, 41,178 of whom are engaged in the active
practice of law.
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