March 10, 2003
25 Victims of Attorney Theft Awarded More Than $125,000 By Clients' Security Fund
Lawyers' fund has awarded more than $5 million to consumers since inception
The Board of Commissioners of the Clients' Security Fund of Ohio (CSF), met on Monday, March 10, 2003 and awarded $127,466 to 25 victims of attorney theft. Twelve former or suspended Ohio attorneys were found to have misappropriated client funds.
A former client of disbarred Youngstown attorney Richard Goldberg was awarded $449 as a result of his theft of client expense funds. In August 1999, Goldberg pled guilty to charges that he defrauded at least $4.4 million from 23 clients between 1993 and 1999. Mr. Goldberg was originally sentenced to 41 months imprisonment; however his sentence was increased to 57 months due to a violation of Goldberg's agreement with prosecutors. He was also ordered to make restitution to his former clients.
The CSF Board of Commissioners reimbursed $10,000 to a client of former Columbus attorney Louis Bernard LaCour. The Board found that Mr. LaCour failed to provide the services requested. LaCour was initially suspended by the Supreme Court of Ohio, but he later surrendered his license to practice law in Ohio.
Former Dayton attorney Fuad B. Nasrallah, Jr. accepted fees from nine of his former clients but failed to provide the services requested. The CSF Board reimbursed a total of $21,945 to Mr. Nasrallah's former clients. Mr. Nasrallah was permanently disbarred by the Supreme Court of Ohio on Jan. 16, 2002. As a result of his disbarment, Mr. Nasrallah cannot practice law in the state of Ohio.
The CSF reimbursed over $65,000 to three former clients of the late Kenneth H. Inskeep of Trumbull County. Mr. Inskeep, who committed suicide in December 2000, misappropriated client funds from two estates and from a personal injury settlement.
Former clients of five Cleveland, Ohio attorneys received reimbursement from the CSF as a result of thefts committed by their attorneys. Suspended attorney Michael Shafran was found to have misappropriated $7,518 in funds belonging to two of his former clients. Mr. Shafran was suspended from the practice of law on May 2, 2000. Since June 1999, the CSF has awarded more than $345,000 to 44 of Mr. Shafran's former clients. A former client of Attorney Daniel T. Todt was reimbursed $5,000 which was misappropriated by Todt following the settlement of an employment claim. Mr. Todt, who is now deceased, was suspended from the practice of law on Oct. 19, 2000.
A former client of Attorney Steven L. Howland, also deceased, was reimbursed $3,500 which was paid to Mr. Howland for legal services he failed to provide prior to his death in December 2000. A former client of suspended attorney Kalam Muttalib was awarded $1,897 obtained by Mr. Muttalib as part of a personal injury settlement. Mr. Muttalib's license to practice law in Ohio was indefinitely suspended by the Supreme Court of Ohio on Jan. 3, 2001. A former client of Joseph A. Kral was reimbursed $550 paid to Mr. Kral for legal services that he failed to provide. Mr. Kral was permanently disbarred on Nov. 11, 2000, by the Supreme Court of Ohio, and as a result he can never practice law in the state of Ohio again.
The CSF reimbursed a total of $884.00 to two former law clients of disbarred attorney Alfred Dahling as a result of his failure to provide the legal services requested. Mr. Dahling, a former judge who is now deceased, practiced law in Lake, Ashtabula, and Trumbull counties. By order dated Oct. 25, 2000, the Supreme Court of Ohio permanently disbarred Mr. Dahling from the practice of law in Ohio. Mr. Dahling passed away on Jan. 20, 2001.
A former client of Mansfield, Ohio attorney Barry F. Brickley was reimbursed $750.00 as a result of Brickley's failure to provide the legal services requested. Mr. Brickley's license to practice law was indefinitely suspended on Dec. 4, 2002.
Two former clients of Cincinnati, Ohio attorney A. Noel Caliman also received a total of $9,356 in reimbursement from the CSF. In the first claim, Mr. Caliman failed to provide the services for which he was paid. In the second claim, Mr. Caliman misappropriated funds he was holding pursuant to a guardianship. Mr. Caliman resigned, with discipline pending, from the practice of law in Ohio on March 27, 2001.
The CSF was created in 1985 by the Supreme Court of Ohio to reimburse victims of attorney theft. The CSF is not taxpayer funded, but funded entirely by registration fees paid by every Ohio attorney. Ohio has over 37,000 attorneys engaged in the active practice of law. Less than one tenth of one percent (1%) of those attorneys are involved in CSF claims.
Law clients who believe they have sustained financial losses resulting from attorney theft, embezzlement or misappropriation should contact the CSF by calling 614.387.9390 or 800.231.1680 toll free in Ohio.