Recent News

March 24, 2006

Clients' Security Fund awards more than $370,000 to victims of attorney theft

The Board of Commissioners of the Clients' Security Fund of Ohio (CSF) awarded $371,297 to thirty victims of attorney theft. Fourteen former or suspended Ohio attorneys were found to have misappropriated client funds.

The CSF Board of Commissioners determined that a former client of suspended Franklin County attorney Perry R. Silverman was eligible for reimbursement of $75,000 as a result of Silverman's failure to release or otherwise account for client funds. Silverman was suspended from the practice of law in Ohio.

The CSF Board of Commissioners reimbursed $700 to a client of former Brown County attorney Edward L. Harp after finding that he accepted fees but failed to provide the services requested. Harp was suspended from the practice of law in Ohio and surrendered his license to practice law in Ohio, with discipline pending.

The CSF Board of Commissioners awarded a total of $165,000 in reimbursement to three former clients of former Butler County attorney James Dodge. Dodge resigned from the practice of law in Ohio following his conviction for fraud and theft.

Former clients of four Cuyahoga County attorneys were reimbursed by the Clients' Security Fund of Ohio as a result of the attorneys' failure to provide the services requested. A former client of attorney Michael F. Dadisman was reimbursed $750 in legal fees paid to Dadisman for services that he failed to provide. Dadisman was suspended from the practice of law in Ohio.

A client of deceased attorney Steven L. Howland, also of Cuyahoga County, was reimbursed $1,500 paid to Howland for services that he failed to provide. A former client of suspended attorney David Lawrence was reimbursed $22,000 as a result of his failure to distribute funds received on behalf of his client. Lawrence was indefinitely suspended from the practice of law in Ohio. A client of deceased attorney William M. Randle was reimbursed $650 in legal fees paid to Randle for services that were not provided.

A former client of former Greene County attorney Jerome R. Hamilton was reimbursed $10,000 in fees paid to Hamilton for services that were not provided. Hamilton resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with discipline pending.

A former client of deceased Hamilton County attorney Robert F. Barnes was awarded $5,548 in reimbursement following the CSF Board's determination that Barnes failed to provide the services for which he was hired.

Thirteen clients of former Mahoning County attorney Mark S. Colucci were reimbursed a total of $86,375 as a result of Colucci's failure to provide the services requested and his failure to account for client funds. Colucci resigned from the practice of law in Ohio, with discipline pending.

The CSF Board determined that Montgomery County attorney Daniel L. O'Brien accepted $1,100 in legal fees and then failed to provide the services requested. O'Brien was indefinitely suspended from the practice of law in Ohio.

A former client of Perry County attorney Curtis Griffith Jr. was reimbursed $500 in legal fees paid for services that Griffith failed to provide. Griffith was indefinitely suspended from the practice of law in Ohio.

A former client of deceased Summit County attorney Richard McCune was reimbursed $1,500 as a result of McCune's failure to provide the services requested.
 
Three estate beneficiaries were reimbursed a total of $674.33 in legal fees paid to former Van Wert County attorney George Crummey due to his failure to provide services required to complete the administration of the estate. Crummey resigned from the practice of law, with discipline pending.

The CSF was created in 1985 by the Supreme Court of Ohio to reimburse victims of attorney theft, embezzlement or misappropriation. The CSF is not taxpayer funded, but funded entirely by registration fees paid by every Ohio attorney. Less than one tenth of one percent of attorneys are involved in CSF claims.